Revelation of the Sith - Book I
by Miss-Inquisitive-Sci-fi
Summary: Years following the harrowing events of Naboo, Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi and his young padawan Anakin Skywalker face their toughest challenge yet in their apprenticeship, the team's first assignment. The fate of billions hinge on their actions whilst their bond is pushed to the very limits as new and old enemies threaten everything they hold dear. AU Obi-Wan & Anakin bonding.
1. Chapter 1

**This story is set post TPM by about 3 years. Anakin is 12 years old now and has been training with Obi wan for the last few years. They are about to be sent on their first official mission, what could possibly go wrong? Enemies see to disrupt their new bond at every turn.**

 **A/N-2 - chapter updated to fix mistakes and rectify issues**

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 _In out, in out, in out_ Anakin tried desperately to block out everything else around him in the training room and concentrate solely on breathing and finding his inner calm. The sweat from his hair dripped into the tightly tied blindfold which very effectively cut off his vision. Training saber gripped tightly in his hands Anakin prepared himself for his latest training exercise.

Listening intently he could hear the humming of a droid above him, darting around the room trying to confuse him. The droid would fire laser bolts at him at random intervals from any direction, Anakin's job was to not get hit. _Simple right?_ However he was also balanced on a training beam. The other rule was to not touch the floor, now that would be easy if it were not for the fact that each beam was smaller in width than one of his feet and extremely slippery!

The prospect of being hit by one of the sizzling bolts racked his nerves,, even though this was a training exercise the bolts still carried a sting and left a bruise, if you were very unlucky the dastardly things sometimes broke the skin. Also of course he had the very real possibility of falling awkwardly off of the beams, which were at varying heights around the room.

The exercise was designed to test one's focus and reactions whilst being physically blind, of course being physically blind for a Jedi did not mean they couldn't see. Taking away the learners sight essentially compelled them to trust in their sense instincts and most importantly be at peace with the force. This was Anakin's first attempt at this particular course, hence the nerves and sweat pouring down his face, he could feel the watchful eyes of his master track his movements as he advanced along the very thin treacherous beam.

' _Remember padawan, trust the force, connect to it and you will feel the danger before it reaches you.'_ Obi wan's calming voice sailed over the training bond intent on focusing Anakin's mind for the given task.

Obi wan watched from the sidelines of the training salle, high above his determined student in the observation room. It had been 3 years since the heartbreaking events on Naboo where Anakin was inadvertently thrust into his life. He didn't regret a single moment of training Anakin however, he just wished his master Qui gon was still here to advise him.

Obi wan had been thrust into knighthood immediately upon slaying the Sith lord and suddenly he was responsible for training the chosen one, it had all happened expeditiously, perhaps too quickly. Here he was, trying his utmost to train Anakin to become a great Jedi where he often felt like he wasn't ready to be a master yet. It had been a great learning curve for the both of them, Obi wan felt immensely proud of what Anakin had achieved so far, he had excelled in almost every part of his training and pushed himself harder every day.

As he observed Anakin try to follow the sounds of the droid, abruptly his apprentice performed a perfectly balanced force jump to reach the next beam after the droid got too close for comfort, it was again evident his padawan, _oh force that took a while to get used to,_ had excelled so much in training already. He moved gracefully around the room, leaping from beam to beam trying desperately to keep the droid in front of him, listening intently to anything he could pick up on.

His light saber held in a defensive stance ready for the first blasts. Anakin had excelled in all of his classes, was an excellent pilot and nearly had reached the level of his other agemates for lightsaber training. He had achieved so much in so little time, training to this level usually took younglings double the time Anakin had been given. It was an extraordinary achievement and one that still baffled Obi wan some days. The most remarkable thing about Anakin however was his connection to the force. It had grown exponentially since they had started their training together, it never ceased to amaze Obi wan how Anakin was able to harness the force with more and more ease every passing day. His pride over his padawan's progress shone out from every fibre of his being.

Obi wan's attention steered back to his apprentice as he expertly deflected three consecutive laser bolts, lightsaber a blur of action, and force jumped from one side of the training room, off a wall, and landing on the other side only stumbling a little before regaining his balance and tracking the droid yet again. Obi wan let a small smile tug at his lips, that was very nearly a perfect move, Anakin was improving at his balance and his trust in the force.

A memory suddenly flashed in Obi wan's mind of Anakin in one of their first training sessions in this hall.

 _Anakin stood in position, training saber gripped in his hand so tightly that his knuckles were turning white. The training droid then was set to a much slower speed and very basic difficulty. As the first bolt shot out Anakin was too slow and hit him square in the shoulder, his frustration bubbling rapidly as realisation dawned that he'd missed the first one._

 _Obi wan reminded him to just focus and trust in the force. Anakin struggled with the comprehension of doing just that, but he obediently took a deep breath and followed the droid around the room as it spun, the next bolt flew out, Anakin's saber came up meeting and blocking it perfectly. 'He sure learns quickly' Obi wan thought even then._

 _He watched Anakin positively beam with happiness that he had felt the force guide him and deflected so easily. Of course nearly straight after that Anakin's focus began to fall as he was so intent of the joy of the first victory. Still it had been a good first training exercise with his padawan who was slowly but surely learning the ways of the force._

Obi wan smiled as the memory played back in his head, it felt like so long ago. Obi wan had been emotionally raw then, with qui gon just having perished at the hands of the sith darth maul, but Anakin and he had thrown themselves into training determined to honour Obi wan's late master's memory.

Anakin breathed in deeply, _that was close_ he nearly slipped off the training beam now that would have been embarrassing! A steady stream of sweat now trickled down from his hairline only to be absorbed by the blindfold. It only took Anakin half a second to rebalance his body and turn back towards the droid. He felt the next bolt before it got anywhere near him and moved his saber to the right to deflect a shot that had been going for his leg. The droid suddenly whipped around to the other side and Anakin twirled around just in time to deflect a bolt heading for his head. _ouch that would have hurt_.

The next bolt flew before Anakin could regain his balance, no time to deflect he tried in vain to move out of its way and jump down to the beam below. He succeeded, well mostly, there was a slight searing on his left arm as the bolt grazed him. _focus Anakin!_

He released the discomfort into the force and realigned himself finding balance and searching around for the threat. Anakin waited for the droid to make its next move, it was taunting with him dancing around but not firing. Anakin's frustration was building and even started to seep into the training bond which of course Obi wan picked up on immediately.

 _'Focus Padawan! Your patience is slipping, you must release it if you want to keep up with the droid'_ Obi wan's voice drifted along the bond along with a steady burst of calmness.

Obi wan sighed, that was Anakin's biggest weakest his impatience. He was the same when he had been a padawan learner and arguably still struggled with patience in the direst of moments. He fondly remembered qui gon's many exasperated attempts to make Obi wan more composed on missions and indeed in every day life. Eventually he had learned to not let his concentration waver and focus on the task at hand. Which was the precise problem his padawan was having at the moment, Anakin liked to be in the action and thrived in no better place than when he was in the middle of a spar or being shot at.

Obi wan kept trying to ingrain this philosophy into his young padawan, but the boy was still only 12 years of age. Obi wan had to have faith that as he once had, Anakin's impatience would slowly disappear over time and with more experience. Obi wan saw Anakin nearly take a direct blow in his latest tactic, his breath hitched as the laser came towards his unprepared padawan, and just at the last second Anakin vaulted off the side of the beam taking no more injury than a slight graze. Obi wan knew it was just a training exercise but those beams did still leave a sting and he felt the slight pang across the bond before it was released into the force.

The droid sent another two blasts towards Anakin, who had adjusted his position and released his impatience just in time to deal with the new attack. He moved swiftly and gracefully again feeling at one with the force. He deflected and moved along the beam as more and more lasers fired at him. Anakin soared up above the droid flipping and landing the other side whilst also deflecting a laser by bringing his saber over his shoulder and spinning round to face the droid again. He was in full swing now, the laser bolts kept firing and Anakin parried at every bolt deflecting them all one by one.

Obi wan tracked his padawans movements, impressed by what he was seeing. This was Anakin at his full capability, as soon as he felt him release his impatience he had entered a trance like state and his full attention was on the task at hand. The rate of the laser bolts started accelerating and he could see Anakin getting dangerously close to complacency, that was the danger and if that happened his focus would slip.

Anakin was really enjoying himself now, his adrenaline spiking as he successfully dodged blow after blow. _This is what I live for!_ He was so intent on all the skills he was successfully performing that stupidly when he bounded to the next beam he miscalculated the position and ended up landing awkwardly. Anakin hadn't been concentrating on all his surroundings just the droid, that mistake ended up costing him dearly as the droid relentlessly fired bolt after bolt which Anakin couldn't keep up with after his near fall before.

He never properly had time to correct his footing and started to panic, the next bolt got past his defences and slammed mercilessly into his shoulder. Anakin let out a cry of surprise and distress as he fell off of the beam and sailed downwards at an alarming rate to the training mat below. He readied himself for the fall cushioning his landing with the help of the force, however the training saber still crashed out of his grasp as he smacked down to the floor more forcibly than he had expected. Winded he heard the unmistakable sound of the droid being switched off and Obi wan approaching his position, _a little faster than usual, I must have landed badly!_

Obi wan watched tensely as he noted Anakin miss the perfect landing on the next training beam, this was it he had lost his focus. A shot of pain rang through the bond when the bolt hit Anakin's right shoulder and he winced when Anakin fell towards the floor. He tried to send as much assistance as he could with the landing and abruptly switched off the droid and raced towards his fallen padawan. That had been quite a hard landing it must have hurt quite a bit.

"Padawan are you alright?" Obi wan's voice was slightly tainted with worry as he reached Anakin and helped him remove the blindfold.

"I think so, didn't expect to get shot and fall off in one go" Anakin replied grumpily, wincing slightly when he sat up and Obi wan removed the blindfold blinding him slightly from being deprived without that sense for so long. The first thing he saw when his eyes had readjusted was the worrying look on his masters face as he scrutinised his padawan looking over for injuries.

Obi wan gaze searched over Anakin's body, _slight graze on left arm, laser wound to right shoulder which will need slight medical attention, no lasting effects from the fall, good_. His assessment over he released his panic into the force and grinned finally.

"You did well padawan" before he continue Anakin interrupted his next sentence.

"Well?! I just fell off the beam and got shot! I failed…" Anakin trailed off obviously miffed at himself and his performance.

Obi wan's tone and posture softened, Anakin always talked of things in success and failure there was no middle ground for him, he had to realise there were many things he did well and his _failures_ were mistakes to be learned from.

"Maybe if you had let me finish" Obi wan started in a joking tone, waiting for Anakin to meet his gaze and sending him a small smile.

"Yes there were areas which need improvement to stop that from happening again, but that is the point of mistakes Ani, they are there to teach us how to do things better the next time. Without mistakes you could never learn." Obi wan waited for Anakin to look at him properly before giving his good shoulder an affectionate squeeze that seemed to lighten Anakin's mood.

"So you're not mad I lost concentration?" Anakin asked warily.

Obi wan smirked slightly, "Padawan this was your first attempt at this exercise if you had made the whole thing without a scratch I would have been dumbfounded. I am very proud of your performance today your light saber technique is better than ever. You already seem to know where you went wrong so thats another thing."

He paused waiting for Anakin to let out a deep breath releasing the last of his panic and frustration into the force. G _ood_ Obi wan thought _now we can begin rectifying those issues_ and Obi wan knew Anakin would get better and better once he improved his concentration and patience.

"You have a problem with your patience that influences your control over the force, you saw that today didn't you?"

"Yes I thought I was going to lose balance then, it helped when you calmed me down." Anakin replied thoughtfully a smile tugging at his lips as he looked up at Obi wan.

"Indeed, you need to be able to do that by yourself, but that is something you will learn with experience" Obi wan quickly added as he saw Anakin's panicked look at having to master that right now. _he wants to be perfect now_ Obi wan chuckled to himself, Anakin had alway been pushing himself as soon as he reached the temple. As if he had something to prove to everyone, _I suppose he must think he does, having the knowledge of being the chosen one cannot be easy for the boy_. His attention drifted back to Anakin as he brought up the other mistake in the training exercise.

"Now the reason why you got shot" Obi wan started pausing for a moment.

"You already seem to have identified it, you were getting too involved with the droid, complacency is very dangerous in a battle. And it cost you when you had no focus on your surroundings. If you had had focus on all your surroundings you wouldn't have landed so awkwardly and been on the back foot for the droid to take advantage". Obi wan watched Anakin absorb the information nodding his head slightly.

"I understand master, I realised too late my mistake and then I panicked!" Anakin exclaimed.

"Yes well the past is past, you have learned your mistakes and the next time you try this I'm sure you will improve with your new found knowledge" Obi wan answered helping Anakin to his feet up off the training mat.

"Is your shoulder bothering you padawan?"

"Not anymore master, I recover quicker than you, you know young body and all that" Anakin teased scrambling away from his master as he went to swat his head.

"What are you implying padawan?!" Obi wan exclaimed aiming for his apprentice's head before he slipped out of his grasp. Obi wan chuckled, force was he fast when he wanted to be. He sent a gentle swat along the bond ' _insolent brat'_ , smiling all the time giving away his lack of seriousness.

Anakin just laughed and turned to face Obi wan. "Nothing master, nothing at all". His padawan didn't stop grinning, it was always infectious to anyone around him.

Their training bond had grown very powerful over the last few years as they got to know each other more. Not many other padawan master bonds were as strong as theirs after only a few years, they could communicate easily across their bond telepathically and could sense each others feelings and moods.

"You wouldn't mind a sparring session then if you've fully recovered, my young padawan" Obi wan gleefully remarked, pushing back the beams from the last exercise into their rightful place with a flick of the wrist.

Anakin stilled, _sith I walked right into that one_ , Obi wan always beat him then again Anakin did enjoy these sessions with his master very much, he just didn't enjoy the various bruises he always sported after the match.

Obi wan smiled as he saw the realisation spread across his padawan's face as he realised he had dropped himself in it. We have the training room for another 15 minutes, we might as well use the time wisely!

"Ready yourself, take a deep breath and focus let me know when you are ready to begin" Obi wan readied himself into his own position and force grabbed a training saber from the other side of the room, thumbing the activation switch whist adjusting to a defensive position.

Anakin stilled his breathing, closed his eyes and let himself be at one with the force again. His saber came flying towards his hand and his fingers closed around the hilt, igniting and letting off an azure glow he readied himself for battle.

' _I'm ready master' Anakin_ sent across the bond as he opened his eyes.

' _Let's begin then'_ Obi wan smiled back.

Anakin made the first move, Obi wan always commented that he had an offensive fighting style rather than Obi wan's defensive posture, his saber clashed against Obi wan's in a blur of motion as unsurprisingly his first blow at his masters midsection was halted. He fastened his pace of attacks, trying all sides and angles with varying speed.

Anakin's footwork was one of the skills he had been working on recently. Abruptly he had to go on the defensive as Obi wan bore down on him with such strength every strike made Anakin's arms tremble, it took all of Anakin's concentration to block each move. _lower left, upper right, oh force that was close that attack was going straight for his neck,_ it would have been successful if Anakin hadn't ducked and gone under his master's out stretched arm. He stepped back a few paces breathing in large gulps of air, his master was _very_ fast, and Anakin knew this wasn't even his best!

Obi wan gave him a few seconds to recover before launching another assault, Anakin was very good offensively his weakness was always his defensive actions, that was why Obi wan didn't want him getting to complacent and besides it was best to test his padawans weaker side.

Obi wan sliced downwards aiming for Anakin's right shoulder, then left towards his midsection and spun to strike down towards his head. Anakain blocked each attack with surprising strength, his eyes focussing on the blur that was Obi wan's light saber. As these were training sabers on low setting they would sting for a while and leave a mark and some bruises for a few days but that was it. Seeking for a gap in his padawan's defence Obi wan saw Anakin's midsection wide open and slashed across it.

Fiery agony shot across Anakin's chest as he realised he had been too slow to block Obi wan's attack. _Now thats going to leave a bruise!_ Time to get back on to the offensive he thought. He force leaped back onto the wall behind him and somersaulted over Obi wan's head, slashing ground-wards as he went only to be met with Obi wan's light saber. He landed gracefully the other side and this time pushed Obi wan back towards the wall. Anakin landed blow after blow, aiming at Obi wan's knee caps at one point in which he responded by jumping straight over them and force pushing Anakin backwards causing Anakin to sprawl out as he tried to cushion his landing.

Obi wan lingered until his padawan had regained his footing and advanced towards him once again. _He has been practising since we last sparred, his attacks are more capable and precise,_ of course they were still choppy and predictable but he was growing stronger every session. Pride once again welled up in Obi wan at his padawan's achievements.

Once Anakin had regained his footing he leapt across the room at alarming velocity causing Obi wan to bring his saber up hurriedly in a defensive parry, Anakin had been going for the match winning blow _always ambitious_ Obi wan thought to himself. The problem with Anakin's strike was he had opened himself up for attack from Obi wan.

Anakin had to think quickly as Obi wan's saber attacks got faster and faster and he was pushed backwards towards the wall. Sweat dripped from his hair getting into his eyes, his arms were trembling now with the force of Obi wans blows raining down on him from all directions, seemingly all at once!

Suddenly Obi wan was in the air flying over him and before he had the chance to turn and react he felt the slight burn of the training saber on his neck. Obi wan had won the match. Anakin let out a sigh of relief and crashed to the ground turning off the saber, his muscles on fire and his breathing ragged _that had been one heck of a spar!_ His shoulder was now burning in agony from the strain of the mock duel.

Obi wan disengaged his own saber and kneeled beside his padawan, he had actually broken out a sweat keeping up with some of Anakin's moves, yes he was improving vastly.

Anakin looked exhausted as he lay there and Obi wan noticed his shoulder was bleeding, he peeled back his padawan's tunic to take a look and grimaced. _damn all this exertion must have opened it up._ Obi wan grabbed his bag from the side, handed Anakin some water so he could replenish some of the fluids he lost and pressed some bacta to Anakin's shoulder.

Anakin hissed as the bacta was pushed against his shoulder, but continued to drink the water thirstily.

"Sorry, this just needs a little dressing and it'll be good as new." Obi wan murmured, assessing the rest of Anakin's wounds. He checked his padawans midsection, _good just slight bruising, and the same on his neck_. Obi wan cleaned up the graze on Anakin's arm, when that was done he too started gulping some water.

"You fought very well today padawan, I see you've been practising some of your foot work and acrobatics" praised Obi wan.

"Thank you master, and yeah me and some of the other boys in my class have been doing some out of hours practise. I love light saber training" Anakin beamed.

Obi wan chuckled, Anakin certainly did, that was the one thing he liked even more than flying! ' _Come on padawan we better go get cleaned up'_ Obi wan sent over the bond climbing to his feet and throwing a towel into his apprentice's unprepared face, smirking as it met its target.

Anakin scowled from behind the towel, but softened when his master offered a hand to help him up and soon his face was back to beaming again. They gathered their things from the corner of the training hall and were just about to head out when they were interrupted by a beeping, it was Obi wan's com link.

"Required in the council chambers immediately, master Kenobi your presence is. Bring your padawan, you must. " Spoke the voice of master Yoda across the comms.

"We're on our way master, we're just heading out from the training hall now." Obi wan replied pocketing his comlink.

Obi wan and Anakin both glanced at one another, it was unusual they were summoned directly to the council chambers together. Anakin's mind raced with all the possibilities, _is it possible I could be going on my very first mission?!_ The bruises of the match forgotten Anakin felt positively elated at the thought.

' _Patience young padawan, the council could have summoned us for any number of reasons, don't go in there bouncing of the walls.'_

Obi wan chuckled at the thought Anakin had been pestering him recently about when he would be allowed on his first mission. Obi wan had a hard time keeping him calm whenever the council asked for his presence. _This time might just be the time we do get sent, are we ready though?_ Obi wan asked himself, I suppose only time will tell.

Obi wan placed his arm around his positively fidgeting padawan trying to settle him down before the council masters saw how much he was buzzing. Enthusiasm was one thing but Anakin would just come across crazy at the moment! With a burst of calming force over the bond he saw Anakin start to contain his excitement. They both headed off towards the council chambers with a wide grin plastered on each of their faces.

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 **A/N So this is my very first star wars story, please let me know what you think. I like to think that Anakin and Obi wan had a pretty strong connection when they were training together. As you can probably se they are quite close in this scene. Throughout the story there will be a series of flashbacks which basically cover from TPM to where they are now. I will try to keep to a schedule of one update a week, unless uni deadlines get in the way that is! Hope you all enjoyed it!**


	2. Chapter 2

**So here's the next part to the story, slightly earlier than I expected and longer than last time please let me know what you think and enjoy!**

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The turbolift lurched upwards ascending to the higher levels in the temple where the council chambers were situated. Both Obi wan and Anakin were trying to make themselves look at least a little bit presentable, but it was tricky when they had to come directly from a gruelling training session! Obi wan had a lot less trouble than Anakin as he had only taken part in the sparring. His young padawan was drenched in sweat after the sparring and training exercise, not to mention the singes on his tunic from the blaster shots.

Obi wan chuckled as he watched his padawan desperately try and look presentable, his hair a sticky mess, his clothes all ruffled. It was quite a sight. Anakin toweled himself off and swung his robe over his tunic in an effort to hide the blast marks on his shoulder and arms.

"I wish we could have had a chance to clean up. I don't want to be scrutinised by the council for looking like this!" Anakin exclaimed, pointing out the haphazardness of his appearance.

"Calm down, Padawan. The council will not berate you. We have been called for immediately and they knew we were training". Obi wan smiled as that seemed to visibly calm his apprentice and he stopped jumping from side to side on his feet!

It was funny how quickly Anakin's mood had changed since they left the training hall and had taken the short trip to the lifts. At first he was positively buzzing with excitement at the prospect of his first ever mission! Obi wan observed however his decreasing excitement and increasing anxiety levels over having to be in front of the entire Jedi council. Obi wan didn't blame him. As a boy so young it was intimidating having 12 seasoned masters have their attention on you, watching your every reaction and, quite frankly, judging you.

Another memory popped into his head of he himself being scrutinised by the council after all the business on Melida/Daan. He shuddered remembering what that had done to his and Qui gon's relationship. He could always remember seeing the deep disappointment and betrayal in Qui gon's eyes as he renounced his ties to the Jedi order and vowed to stay on that world and help the kids there with the civil war. Of course, that was the worst mistake of his life. Not soon after being left there by Qui gon did he realise that himself. He lost a dear friend on that planet and realised truly what he wanted in life, to be a Jedi knight. It took a lot of hard work to be accepted by the council again and, thankfully, eventually Qui gon. He could sometimes scarcely believe that those were his actions; how wrong he had been.

Anakin's slight fidgeting brought him out of his reverie. Yes, he understood completely his padawan's anxiousness. Obi wan would be lying if he too said he wasn't intimidated by the masters. He had grown more confident being called in front of them, but it always brought back memories of the unpleasant times he had experienced in there.

Obi wan noticed his padawan's braid was tangled and all over the place. He knelt down beside him and gently untangled the loose strands. He then went about re-plaiting it for him which prompted Anakin to send a wave of gratitude across their bond. He finally seemed to calm down to a usual level. Well, for Anakin anyway. It wasn't a moment later that the lift chimed indicating they were at the council chambers level of the temple.

Obi wan stepped out first, followed closely by Anakin. His gaze followed the Coruscant skyline as they strolled past one of the windows. He still could remember the way it used to look when he was just a bit older than Anakin walking along this very corridor with Qui gon. _How times have changed_ , he mused. The sun was setting and it was then that Obi wan realised how late it was, time surely flied when you were deep within the temple training; with no windows it was very easy to lose track of the time of day.

The planet outside was dotted with towering skyscrapers, glinting in the setting sun. Transports littered the sky, zooming across the horizon, Obi wan's eyes drifted towards the colossal building on the other side of the city. His eyes settled on the senate building, he hadn't been there much since the events on Naboo, only if a situation had arisen that required his immediate attendance. He didn't know what it was but every time he was in that building he felt, well, he felt _wrong_ was the only word Obi wan could come up with. He shivered slightly and stared ahead again heading for the door to the council. They paused just outside the door and Obi wan looked down at Anakin. _Good, he looks a lot more calm_.

'R _eady, Padawan?'_ Obi wan sent along the bond.

 _'As I'll ever be,'_ Anakin grinned back.

Obi wan chuckled and gave Anakin's uninjured shoulder a gentle squeeze. _This was it,_ Obi wan couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding as if this mission would change everything. _But would it be for the good? W_ ith that final thought they both passed into the council chambers.

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Anakin calmed his breathing as he and Obi wan strode into the council chambers. He stopped a shoulder's width from his master in the centre of the room; respectively bowing to the Jedi masters in sync with his master. Anakin couldn't help but gaze around the space; he vividly remembered the first time he had set foot in this room. His nervousness had decreased over the years thankfully but it was still very intimidating!

The view out of the window behind the council members was, in a word, breathtaking. Anakin could never really get used to the fact that he now lived here! After being on a desert planet for so many years he hadn't seen the same kind of, well _, life_ , and transports and even the buildings here on Coruscant. Everything was so busy and so lively even when the sun went down, this planet never slept.

Of course he had snuck out a few times when he had first arrived on the planet and been taken on as a padawan, only to be caught by Obi wan on his return and assigned extra meditation and homework as punishment. His midnight jaunts had decreased over the years, but the extra meditation was worth the adventure, after being a slave all his life it was nice to just feel free! The main reason his trips had stopped was because of one fateful night when he got into a bit of a trouble and scared his master half to death…

 _'Anakin wrapped his cloak around himself shivering slightly as the evening temperature on Coruscant dropped to a new low point. He had been in Jedi training for a year and a half now and was enjoying his time immensely. He loved the temple, his new master Obi wan and thanked the stars every day he had been allowed to have this monumental opportunity., it was then that thoughts of his mother flashed across his mind. That was the toughest part of all of this, having to say goodbye to his mother. He had kept his promise to her; he hadn't looked back. As hard as that was to achieve he knew it was what his mother wanted. 'One day,' he thought. 'One day I will save her.' She deserved to live a free life just like Ani was experiencing now._

 _He knew he shouldn't be outside the temple after hours. He had been caught each time by his master, no matter how he tried to hide his return! There was no getting anything past him. But he just couldn't help it! He wanted to explore, wanted to see things he had never seen before. Obi wan had kept each indiscretion between just the two of them; he felt pity for Anakin having never had the chance before to be free. Of course that didn't stop the endless meditation and kitchen duty as punishment. Anakin huffed._

 _He was on the lower levels and was just on his way back to the temple. He had been searching the levels in the scrapyards for any parts he could use on his new mechanical project. It was no secret Anakin loved tinkering with machines and he was usually covered in oil and grease when his master found him in his room. Sometimes droid parts ended up all over the apartment, of course, Anakin didn't know how that was possible._

 _The first he'd hear of it was when he heard his master curse when he had ended up standing on one or two and vowed to throw the whole lot away if Anakin didn't keep the parts tidily away in his room! This trip had been relatively successful; he had gained a few circuit boards and power generators that he was confident he could cannibalise to his needs in time._

 _Suddenly a large bang made Anakin nearly jump out of his skin. His hand automatically reached for his saber, even though it was just a training saber it would still deflect bolts and packed quite a sting. Down along a side alley he saw what looked to be five bounty hunters. They were humanoid in appearance, from his lessons he believed them to be of the species Weequay. He knew their species were usually involved with bounty hunters. He grimaced, they were surrounding a lone man with blasters. Anakin's fear rose within him, along with anger! That man was completely defenceless and they were beating him and laughing. Anakin knew he had to help! He force jumped into the middle of the fray and got to work kicking the arms of two bounty hunters in quick succession, effectively disarming them. They scowled at him and the other three swung around towards Anakin; all thoughts of their victim long gone now they had someone who had interrupted them!_

 _Anakin felt the anger radiating from all of them. He suddenly realised how outnumbered he was and now didn't know what to do. He had only been training for just over a year and was not ready for real blaster fire yet. With that in mind he swung his training saber round, knocking one of the remaining armed bounty hunters round the head with a resounding clang, sensing immediately he was out cold. Anakin tried to stay calm but his anxiety rose as the force screamed a warning and blaster fire peppered the air around him._

 _The other two bounty hunters had retrieved their weapons; it took all of Anakin's concentration to not be hit by the deadly bolts. He managed to send a few bolts back towards his attackers. Good, three down, only two to deal with. Anakin decided to try and end this, he moved forward still deflecting the bolts; he felt the bounty hunters anxiety increase as they watched their accomplices crumple. Anakin swung out towards the closest assailant and struck him square across the shoulder and doubled the attack swinging towards the beings arm. He watched as the blaster went flying. Good, he wasn't a threat right now._

 _Anakin sensed urgent danger in the force; he had lost focus on the last bad guy! He didn't swing the saber back around in time to deflect and cried out in pain as the laser bolt ripped through his left shoulder. Staggering back, he realised he had to get out of here now. His grip changed from one hand to the other; his left side completely immobilised from the blast. The bounty hunter tried desperately to press down on his advantage and fired continually at Anakin. Thankfully, maybe more by luck than anything, one of the deflected blasts went straight into the assailant and he crumpled to the ground._

 _Anakin hissed out in pain and dropped to the floor, 'force that hurt!' He had never been in so much pain in his life, his entire left arm was shooting daggers at every movement. He glanced at the wound and wished he hadn't; it didn't look pretty. Suddenly strong arms were helping him up off of the floor. He was confused; how did his very worried looking master get here, how did he know where he was, and that he was in trouble?_

 _That was the last thing he remembered before waking up in the medic bay with a shoulder that still hurt but was much reduced compared to the complete agony he had been in earlier. Obi wan had explained to him that he had felt Anakin's fear and that he was in trouble along the bond. He had tracked his padawan to the lower levels and raced towards his location. He had said the closer he got the easier it was; he could recognise Anakin's force signature anywhere. He explained how he felt the pain echo over the bond and fastened his pace. How he arrived just in time to see his padawan drop to the floor; then picking his padawan up and bringing him back to the temple. 'Oh force, had Obi wan lectured him after that one…' He had made him promise never to go down to the lower levels at night by himself again, and that Anakin had been very lucky to be hit with just the one blaster shot._

 _After the shouting match his master did praise Anakin for his selflessness for helping another being but elaborated that he shouldn't have been in that position in the first place. It was too dangerous for someone so young to be wandering around by himself. He was very worried when he felt all of Anakin's emotions over the bond like that; that was the first time where they had both realised the strength of it._

 _Anakin had learned a valuable lesson that day, there were always beings out there smarter and more capable than him. After that experience he pushed himself back into training and worked harder than ever before. Anakin had vowed to keep his word he didn't want to see that worried look in his master's face again!_

Anakin was brought out of his memory when he heard Master Windu address Obi wan.

"We have an assignment for you and your padawan, Master Kenobi," Mace waited until Anakin had fully concentrated on what he was saying.

O _ops, I need to stop drifting off!_

Mace continued, "We have received a request from Senator Onaconda Farr of Rodia. He fears for his families safety for his upcoming trip between the world of Ithor to their home world. They have just finished negotiations on the planet and have received several credible threats that they will be attacked on the return journey. Most of these threats have been traced back to Ithor's rogue faction by their government, however there are some discrepancies into the origin of the messages. So the both of you will accompany the senator and his family on their trip back to their home world. We don't foresee many troubles once you are travelling on board the cruiser; it should just be a simple protection detail." Mace finished.

Obi wan grimaced slightly, he sure wished Mace hadn't said the S word. From his experience in the past with Qui gon when the council said a mission was simple, it rarely was. He glanced down at his apprentice, watching the excitement grow on his face. _Anakin was right. This will be his first mission. Oh force this was going to be hard to calm him down now!_

"Suspect trouble, Master Kenobi, do you, hmm?"

As always Master Yoda knew exactly what he was thinking. He couldn't say that just because it always has gone wrong in the past that it will now! _No I have to trust that this will be a successful first mission for me and Anakin_.

"Not at all, Master Yoda. I was just preparing for all eventualities," Obi wan replied, careful to keep his voice steady. He could meditate on his feelings about this mission later. Anakin hadn't picked up any of the feelings that Obi wan was having, he was positively elated!

"Your transport for Ithor will be leaving in a few hours. Sorry to not be able to give you anymore notice but the senator and his family want to get off of the planet sooner rather than later. The trip from Ithor to Rodia will take a few standard days to complete. May the force be with you, Master Kenobi, Padawan Skywalker." Mace finished and tilted his head slightly.

"Thank you, masters," Obi wan finished, bowed and led the way out of the council chambers. He couldn't seem to shake the bad feelings he had about this mission. Not to mention the fact they didn't have much time to prepare either! They would have to go and get cleaned up quickly and get packed up.

Obi wan now realised why he and Anakin had been sent to Illum a few weeks earlier to construct Anakin's first light saber; the council were obviously looking out for a mission they could send the pair on that wouldn't be too taxing, Anakin was still very young after all. They headed off back towards the turbolift to head down to their shared quarters. Obi wan was still deep in thought whilst Anakin was struggling very hard to contain himself from running down the corridor shouting and screaming.

* * *

The council chambers evacuated leaving just Master Yoda and Master Windu.

"Do you think they're ready for this?" Mace asked Yoda, who was seemingly concentrating deeply.

"Tell for them, only time will. Yes, Tell, only time will," replied Master Yoda cryptically. He had sensed Master Kenobi's stiffening as the mission was presented before him. It was unusual for Obi wan to be fearful of a mission. As soon as it appeared it had disappeared, however that did not stop Yoda from sensing a faint warning in the force.

"Go to meditate, I must." He answered to a still puzzled Mace whose face seemed more accepting. Sometimes things weren't clear for Yoda until he had spent hours or sometimes even days deep in meditation listening to the will of the force. He hobbled out of the room heading straight for his meditation room.

* * *

Anakin burst into his and Obi wan's shared quarters and veered straight towards his room. He nearly knocked the indoor plant their flat was decorated with over in the process. As Obi wan made his way back in and slid the door closed behind him, he could already hear a large crashing coming from his padawans room. Anakin was rummaging for clothes and anything he thought he might need for the upcoming mission. Obi wan smiled to himself, he wouldn't ruin his padawans excitement _just_ yet. He remembered the first time he and Qui gon had gone on an official mission; It was very exciting packing up and getting ready to go out and see other worlds.

' _Remember to clean yourself up, young Padawan. You still look like a mess,'_ Obi wan sent along the bond. He smiled when he sensed a spark of annoyance from Anakin when he realised he had to stop bouncing off the walls and go and get ready.

Anakin came bursting out of the room, excitement radiating from every fibre of his being, a huge grin plastered on his face.

"Isn't it great Master?!" He all but shouted. "We're going on our first mission and we're going on a cruiser and, and-"

"Calm down, Padawan. You'll use all your energy up before we even get out of the temple!" Obi wan interrupted him when he could see Anakin was going to go on a long rant about missions and ships and mechanical things that Obi wan had no idea how to even respond to.

"Now, go and get cleaned up, you are covered in sweat! Then we'll take another look at your wounds before we head out of the temple," Obi wan instructed, giving Anakin a gentle push in the direction of the fresher. He could tell by the look on his padawans face that he had completely forgotten about his various bruises and grazes, he had got caught up in all the excitement.

"I'm not that bad," Anakin mumbled slightly, dejected at the prospect of having a shower when all he wanted to do was jump around with joy.

Obi wan continued to steer Anakin in the direction of the fresher; not for one second falling the boy's attempts at looking innocently up at him.

"In," he pointed when they got close to the door. Obi wan chuckled when Anakin sauntered into the fresher, annoyed that his attempts to prolong hadn't worked. _That boy has too much energy_. Obi wan sighed as the door slid closed.

As he turned away from the door he heard the sound of the shower starting. _Good, hopefully a shower will calm him slightly. He can't possibly jump around in such a confined space._

Obi wan moved along the rest of the corridor and stopped in the communal space. His eyes roamed around the room, at least his padawan had stopped leaving droid parts all over the floor. F _orce those had hurt_. The room was now littered with a few items that made it feel like home. Pictures littered the wall, Anakin loved to pick them up from the markets of Coruscant. He really enjoyed seeing new worlds, even if they were just pictures. No wonder why he can't contain his excitement to go and see some in person!

Various star fighter models were also spread along the shelves, Obi wan enjoyed modelling star fighters and of course Anakin fell in love with them too, he enjoyed everything flying related. They had spent many evenings intricately putting all of those models together, _I will have to pick up some more soon,_ thought Obi wan. He liked being able to share things with his padawan. A memory came back into his mind of their first night here together as master and apprentice.

 _Obi wan stared out at the planet below, tears brimming at his eyes. He had just returned from Qui gon's memorial service, it had brought up all the memories of losing Qui gon all over again. He was too focused on the landscape outside that he didn't hear Anakin enter the common area. He and Anakin had been through the ceremony of taking on an apprentice, Obi wan swiftly braided Anakin's padawan braid and Master Yoda had helped the two form a training bond._

 _Anakin had just finished putting away his new clothes into his new quarters which were directly next to his master Obi wan's room. Anakin headed back out into the common area, he was a little surprised to see his master at the window tears in his eyes. Usually he sensed Anakin and plastered a smile over his face, he didn't like to show anyone how Qui gon's death had affected him. But Anakin saw glimpses when Obi wan didn't know he was looking, and then the mask came back up as soon as he noticed there was someone else around. He headed over to his conflicted master, not really knowing what to do when Obi wan still didn't realise his presence._

 _Obi wan suddenly felt a presence next to him, ' how had he missed Anakin walking back in? And now he can see that I was crying! What a great impression that was,' Obi wan scolded himself. In his effort to try and bury his feelings again and wipe his tears, he didn't know how it happened, one minute he was gaining control, the next he was on his knees crying his eyes out!_

 _Anakin rushed forward when his master crashed to his knees and started to cry out. He hadn't expected this, Obi wan had always closed himself off around Anakin. Anakin did the only thing that came to mind; he flung his arms around Obi wan in a large embrace and gasped as Obi wan clung onto him. It was in this moment that Anakin was reminded of the pain that flowed through him over the thought of leaving his mother behind. He began to shake too and Obi wan just clung to him tighter, turning the embrace into a two way hug._

 _They didn't need to say a word to each other, that wasn't what Obi wan or Anakin needed. They both just needed someone to be there whilst they dealt with their grief which until now had all been bottled up. Anakin clung to the warmth Obi wan was giving him and they both knelt there for what seemed like hours consoling each other over their own losses. Their bond pulsed brightly that day and had continued to grow ever since._

Obi wan wiped away a tear from his eye as he came back to reality, he was glad he had Anakin with him in the time soon after Qui gon's passing. It gave him something to do, a purpose. They both helped each other face their feelings and move on. He headed into his own quarters which were quite bland in comparison to the living area and Anakin's room. Various data pads littered the bed and desk area, he liked to read and keep up to date with things. He would have to download the information that the council would send them about the forth coming mission, he knew that reading up on the planets and their respective problems would come in handy on the assignment.

He grabbed a bag and packed a few clean sets of uniform, some sleep clothes, emergency travel pack and a few more essentials. He knew he had to go and clean up himself once Anakin was finished, and he better check on the boys packing there was no point turning up with all the wrong gear! Obi wan expertly and quickly packed all of his gear with practised ease and brought it all out into the living area.

He could still hear the running of the water in the shower. Good, he could then get on with checking what his padawan had packed! Obi wan made his way into his padawans quarters; they were a complete mess as usual he would have to get him to tidy this when they got back from their assignment.

Careful not to step on droid pieces again, he made his way over to Anakin's bed. He checked the bag that his padawan had already started to literally throw clothes into. Obi wan emptied the bag and started over, packing the bag correctly, folding each of the clothes in turn. Anakin's lightsaber lay on top, he would tell his padawan to wear this on his belt out to the transport. He remembered when he himself had started to use his own light saber, the power of it, the gracefulness. His padawan had crafted a very nice light saber indeed. Anakin's things were then placed next to Obi wan's in the hallway.

Obi wan headed over to the kitchen area and started to prepare some dinner for the two of them. Whilst chopping up some vegetables for the meal he started to think about the upcoming assignment. He was starting to feel a bit more at ease with the prospect of taking Anakin on his first mission. He had worked hard the last few years to catch up with the other students and going on missions would only increase his experience.

He heard the fresher door open and watched Anakin saunter out. Y _es, he looked calmer. Good, this is going to be an important experience for him, that's for sure_.

"Feeling better, Padawan?" Obi wan enquired looking at his apprentice's appearance. He looked a lot less scruffy now he'd cleaned up. Obi wan observed Anakin notice that all the packing had been done for him.

"Yes, thank you, Master. Thanks for packing my things," Anakin beamed.

"Well someone had to; it looked like a pack of banthas had done it before!" Obi wan teased, earning another grin from his padawan.

"Do you think we could take a look at my shoulder now?" Anakin asked sitting on the sofa.

Obi wan stopped preparing the food, washed his hands, and grabbed the medical box from the side.

"Of course, Ani. I imagine its bothering you a little now the adrenaline's worn off?" Obi wan asked, smiling gently already knowing the answer.

Only a nod from Anakin was the response he received. _I imagine he will be starting to feel nervous right about now. The excitement over a prospect of a mission is shadowed with the need to do well_.

' _Don't worry, Ani. Trust in your training and you will do fine,'_ Obi wan messaged him over their mental bond and sent a healthy dose of reassurance as well.

Anakin smiled up at him, he could always trust his master to pick up on any of his moods and reassure him.

Obi wan made quick work of cleaning Anakin's wounds with bacta and wrapping a bandage up and around his shoulder. To Anakin's credit he didn't wince once, he seemed to be improving in allowing the force to take away his pain. _Good,_ Obi wan thought.

The slash across his chest was a lot less angry and red. Obi wan sent some healing energy along the bond to help quicken the healing process for Anakin's body.

When his master was finished Anakin thanked him and took over Obi wan's job of preparation as Obi wan headed towards the fresher to get cleaned up. _Only a few hours to go,_ Anakin thought nervously. He felt so many emotions course through him at the prospect of this new adventure. He just knew deep down this one would bring Obi wan and Anakin closer than ever.

* * *

 **So they've got a first mission together. As you may have noticed I've made anakin and Obi wans relationship a lot closer from soon after TPM. Anakin is still rebellious though of course :)**

 **The next chapter will be fast forwarded a little to them both in transit starting the mission! Also a quick note, this story will eventually become AU and will cease to follow exactly the narrative of the movies.**

 **The next installment should be up sometime after the weekend.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Here's the next part everyone! thank you for the reviews left so far. It really helps when I get feedback.**

* * *

Anakin stared out of the cruiser viewport from one of the varying corridors on board the republic transport, they had just dropped out of hyperspace above the planet Ithor located in the Ottega system of the Mid Rim. At the moment the only visible objects in view were all the stars dancing in the black void that was space. It was always something Anakin was interested in ever since he was a small boy, he would often look up at the stars in wonder, imagining all the different worlds and species that were out there just waiting for him to explore!

They had been on the transport for just over a day, Anakin busied himself for the first part of the journey exploring the ins and out of the ship. It wasn't often he got to see new transports like this up close so he was making the most of it! Before they boarded on Coruscant he and Obi wan had descended from their quarters and were making their way to the landing pad, Anakin was excited again practically pulling his master along. He couldn't wait to get started and a new shiny ship for him to inspect raised his heart rate considerably.

Obi wan was exasperated he had tried everything to try and calm his padawan, he even tried force suggesting that he calm down! As he looked ahead he noticed there were two figures waiting to see them off on the landing platform, Master Windu and Master Yoda.

Anakin followed his master's example and greeted the two masters with a bow. He noticed his master look a little surprised, maybe this wasn't usual to be seen off. Anakin didn't think any more of it as the roar of the engines had him distracted again. His attention came back to the two masters as he felt a gentle swat across the bond from Obi wan. He had obviously noticed his anxiousness to inspect every inch of the ship, and Anakin had been completely distracted to be honest. Master Yoda wished them well on their way, and they departed with the usual goodbye.

"May the force be with you."

It was strange, Anakin thought he saw a flicker of something in Master Yoda's eyes as he caught a glance between his own master and the seasoned master. _Was that fear? A warning?_ Before he could put a finger on it Obi wan was ushering him towards their transport and he stopped resisting very quickly as his eyes roamed over the beautiful craft again. _Yes this was an excellent start_.

His master had spent most of the time resting and meditating, something he suggested Anakin get on with while they had the chance. Anakin spent a few hours doing just that, but then he was too restless for anymore so got dressed and had spent the rest of the trip inspecting every nook and cranny he could find.

His thoughts drifted back to the present as the planet came into view. They'd be landing pretty soon now with the speed they were coming in at.

 _'Padawan, where are you? You know you can't be walking around when we land,'_ came the querying voice of his master across the bond. Anakin smiled he had been left alone to explore the ship for most of the day. It was nice to have been given so much freedom. Things would be different when they were escorting the senator and his family, that's probably why his master had given him some free reign on this trip over.

With one more look out the viewport at the lush green planet below them, he had read up on the planet in his quarters earlier in the day when Obi wan had practically thrown the data pads at his padawan and told him the importance of research before a mission, he headed off towards the direction of their shared quarters.

' _I'm on my way, Master,'_ replied Anakin as he approached the corridor that would lead him to his awaiting master.

* * *

Obi wan came out of his meditation as soon as the ship lurched out of hyper space. He looked around his and Anakin's quarters and saw that his young padawan had once again wandered off somewhere. He wouldn't have much of a chance on the next leg of the journey however so Obi wan didn't mind too much, well as long as he had studied the data pads the council had sent with them with details on the mission.

He had quite a bit on his mind after leaving from Coruscant. He was glad Anakin hadn't read too much into the glance he caught Master Yoda give Obi wan. Master Yoda rarely looked so grave before an assignment, it had made Obi wan's stomach do flips all over again. The feeling he got from Yoda was a cautious one, maybe he wasn't being overly cautious with the feeling he'd had about this assignment from the get go. After all the meditation he had carried out over the course of the journey here he had come no closer to identifying what was giving him such a bad feeling in the force, only that it was.

He felt his frustration start building, and Obi wan released it into the force, taking a deep breath as well to calm his nerves. They were approaching the planet now and Obi wan knew both he and Anakin would need all their focus to complete this assignment safely without incident. _Why did Mace have to say it would be simple?!_

Obi wan headed towards the fresher, he scooped a handful of cool water and splashed it over his face. _There that's better_. He gazed into the reflection looking back, _stars and galaxies sometimes I forget how much these last few years have changed me, physically and emotionally._ The image staring back at him no longer wore the hair cut of a padawan, his ginger locks were allowed to grow out. Also the slight beard that covered his chin and jaw line added years to his appearance. _Well I did look too young before to be having an apprentice!_ The feature that had changed the most though were definitely his eyes, it shocked him sometimes when he scarcely recognised them, he didn't know what it was exactly but they looked older, pained. Usually they shined a brilliant blue flecked with a cool green blend, most days now his eyes seem to cloud over and just looked, well greyed. Having Anakin around helped, but he was pretty sure that boy was the reason for the few grey hairs that peppered his hairline and the slight appearance of wrinkles round his eyes.

Patting his face dry with a towel, Obi wan headed back out into his quarters and decided he should probably find out where his young apprentice was.

Obi wan messaged his apprentice along the bond, knowing too well that if he didn't tell him to come and take a seat for landing his padawan would be staring at some mechanical aspect going on in the engines. Obi wan did appreciate the knowledge that Anakin had in these areas, Obi Wan had no clue to what his padawan was talking about half the time. He was aware that Anakin's flying capabilities would come in very useful one day! _Force he hated flying_ , the thought of it made him shiver. Not long afterwards he heard his padawan reply and felt more than heard him approaching.

The door hissed open and Anakin silently entered, taking a seat on his bed and packing his things ready for departure.

"Did you have a good time exploring?" Obi wan asked knowingly, he had noticed straight away when Anakin had left the room. It was always amused him that Anakin thought he could just sneak by!

"Yes thank you, Master, I learned a lot about the ship!" Anakin replied oblivious to the slight accusational stare his master had given him.

"Did you take the time to read ALL the reading material I gave you?" pressed Obi wan, making sure to accentuate the word 'all' as he was saying it.

Anakin suddenly noticed the levelling look he was getting from his master and spluttered "Yes of course, Master, I did that before I went err for a look around the ship," Anakin finished meekly, Obi wan had expected him to spend more time going over things. _Oops I won't be making that mistake again_ he thought to himself.

"Very well, I will be quizzing you as we go along" Obi wan replied preparing himself for landing, enjoying very much the look of shock and surprise from his padawan. Qui gon used to pull this trick on him all the time and he soon learnt to properly go over the reading materials so as to not get another gruelling lecture from his own master.

* * *

The ship touched down delicately on one of the many floating cities created by the inhabitants of the world. Obi wan and Anakin made their way down the ramp towards the greeting party in front of them. Obi wan knew it wouldn't be long before they departed again, the family had been very patiently waiting for the Jedi to arrive and Obi wan could sense, even from this distance, the fear radiating off of them. As they strode towards the senators family and their presumed next method of transport, Obi wan observed Anakin's wild eyes trying to take in all of the beauty of the planet at once. He looked around himself, he had never been to this world before either and had to admit it seemed very peaceful, he couldn't quite believe a rebel faction operating here but then again the thickness of the rainforest covering the planet's surface was a perfect place to hide. It even blocked some communications because of how thick it was. He thought back to the first planet he had visited, of course he wasn't Qui gon's apprentice then. He was still being shipped off to the Agricorps even after he had helped Qui gon out with his mission on their way to Bandomeer.

 _Obi Wan remembered looking out across the vast planet as the ship he was travelling on came into land. It wasn't exactly a pretty world, it was interesting though nearly cut in half as a planet. On one side a huge land mass and the other the Great Sea of Bandomeer. He remembered the pain and shame he had felt when Qui gon had ignored his presence yet again and had sent him off to be a farmer. No not exactly a nice first planet or let's face it what it turned into a mission._

 _Qui gon had very clearly instructed him not to interfere at all with his mission, so Obi wan had resigned himself to just being a simple farmer as he was sent away from the city of Bandor. The force obviously had other plans for him, well and maybe a little meddling on his part, soon after he was back in the thick of it investigating from his place at the Agricorps. He and Qui gon really did have a rocky start to their relationship but if anything what they went through made them an even stronger team._

 _Of course Obi wan had ended up getting caught by Qui gon's old apprentice Xanatos, that had turned to the dark side, of all people, and was nearly killed after he tried to escape the mining platform they had imprisoned him on in the middle of the great sea._

 _Qui gon had come to rescue him, and by the end of their 'mission' whether Obi wan was meant to be involved or not he had ended up saving both of their lives as well as countless others from Xanatos, they left the planet as master and apprentice._

 _That was the day everything changed for him_ Obi wan mused.

Anakin couldn't believe what his eyes were showing him, this planet was beautiful! Not just the sight, but the sounds and the smells it was so overwhelming. He stared out across the landing platform trying to take every inch of the horizon in, he could see a few more floating cities stretching out across the planet. _Wizard!_ And below the cities, wow that's what all that green was that he could see from the ship in orbit, he hadn't seen anything like it before! When he looked up at the sky above he counted 5 no 6 moons! _This really was another world._ He was pulled out of his reverie when Obi wan prodded him along the bond asking for his attention.

' _Impressed, Padawan?'_ Obi wan smiled as he watched his apprentice take in all the sights before him. He had such a child-like wonder on his face it was truly magical to observe.

 _'Yes, Master, this is better than I could ever dreamed of!'_ Anakin beamed back.

 _'Well it's the first of many Ani so you better get used to it!'_ Obi wan laughed as Anakin visibly jumped at that remark.

Anakin then laid his eyes across the transport they would be taking. In a word it was stunning, the way the body curved and the sun struck it in all the right places. It was bigger than the one they had just stepped off, and Anakin spied some weapons below as well. _Cool!_ He knew he wouldn't have the same time as he just had so he would have to observe the engines and mechanics when he could.

For the rest of the walk across the landing platform Obi wan asked Anakin about the planet, the senator and the route they would be taking back to Senator Farr's home world planet of Rodia. To his surprise Anakin answered all of his questions without too much hesitation. He did struggle when Obi wan asked about the actual threats the Senator had been receiving and about the rogue faction. Obi wan rolled his eyes; that was probably the most important part of the mission to understand the threat! After he informed Anakin that this was crucial, he told him that his free time on the next shuttle would be spent researching more in those areas.

Anakin mentally groaned, a little too loudly he realised as he felt a mental swat travel along their bond. _Oops I've got to get better at shielding that bond!_ He felt his master's concentration move from the bond back into reality as they approached Senator Farr and his family along with a rather large group of personal security by the looks of things. _They certainly weren't taking any precautions!_

Anakin watched as Obi wan greeted the Senator and chatted with the pilot and head of security about heading off. He was glad he didn't have to deal with pleasantries, that was down to his master, he wouldn't really know where to start! After a few more minutes everyone started to board the ship.

' _That was quick,'_ Anakin exclaimed.

Obi wan looked a little more worried than usual, _'Yes they all want to get off quickly, they're all very frightened by the threats and obviously are taking them very seriously.'_

 _'When we get away, I want you to go scouting aboard the ship. Look for any areas that can be used to hide the family in case of an emergency and memorise the quickest way there from each corner of the ship,'_ Obi wan explained to Anakin as they started up on the ramp.

' _Hopefully we won't need it, but it's better to be prepared,'_ he added as he sensed his padawan's alarm at his worried state. He released his anxiety into the force and watched Anakin relax slightly.

Obi wan still had the feeling this would be a very long trip…

* * *

Anakin did just as Obi wan had asked and found a few suitable safe places that could be used to hide the family if anything went wrong. He was confident he knew the routes to all of them from different areas around the ship. Each one had a door that could be easily fused by Anakin which would make it hard for most other people trying to open it. He had used a Jedi trick to memorise all of the routes, they were laid out like a map in his head and he could follow each one with his eyes closed.

After that particular task was completed he headed back to the quarters he and Obi wan had been assigned. He knew he had better get on with the reading he had missed the first time round, before Obi wan got back from meeting with the security and messaging the Jedi council to inform them that the mission was underway.

Anakin hadn't even stopped to look at some distracting parts of the ship on the way back which was no small feat for him, he knew this was all business now, he had to remain focused, staying alert for any danger.

Anakin glided back into his quarters and flopped onto the bed, a sudden wave of exhaustion hitting him. _Maybe I should have listened to Obi wan and had more rest before_. No he couldn't think of what could have been now, what's done is done he would have to live with it and move forward. He reached over for a data pad and started to read.

By the looks of things the Senator had received several death threats which seemed to originate from a rebel faction operating in the rainforest on Ithor. He couldn't believe that there were still people like that on a world so beautiful! Anakin noticed the lack of intelligence on the group written by the government of the planet. They seemed pretty clueless to it all actually from the report that had been submitted, they didn't know their numbers, where they were situated, what weapons or spacecraft they had access to for that matter.

Obi wan had asked the city to scan the skies and contact them if they noticed any unauthorised ship leaving their atmosphere, that's all they could really do and stay prepared. Anakin did find it strange that the government couldn't know if they had access to spacecraft or not, it was hard for a ship just to go missing, especially one with weapons! The whole thing just felt a little odd, as if the threats were a pushing factor to get the Senator off of the planet and in transit. It's not like this rebel faction could do anything to harm the Senator now they were in transit, not without some serious firepower which would be impossible to conceal!

The more he read the higher his confusion grew, it seemed the government had some reservations to the origin of the threats as well. _Why had the council not tracked the messaged back to a definite source?_

 _'They tried my young padawan, they were all untraceable.'_

Anakin jumped a little, he hadn't realised he was projecting, he had actually got quite caught up in all of the reading. No wonder why his master had wanted him to read this material, it just didn't add up! He probably wanted to discuss ideas with Anakin and see if they could figure out what was going on.

 _'Are you still with the security?'_ Anakin enquired, he wanted to discuss the possibilities of his thoughts when his master returned.

 _'I've just finished up and I am heading back now,'_ came the reply.

Obi wan slid back into his quarters he was sharing with Anakin, he was pleasantly surprised to see data pads all over Ani's bed. His apprentice had obviously taken on what Obi wan had said on the planet's surface and was pouring over all the material as Obi wan had done on the previous shuttle.

He moved over to his own bed and waited patiently for Anakin to finish reading the pad he was on. When Anakin's gaze met his own he saw confusion and worry there, it seems his padawan had picked up on what he had, the information just simply didn't add up!

"You sense it too master? It's as if this entire situation is being orchestrated!" Anakin exclaimed.

"There's no evidence that the threats came from the planet at all, and even if they did the rogue faction couldn't just magic up a space cruiser from nowhere," he added and started to pace the room.

Obi wan observed Anakin, he was always so restless when he faced a problem he would be the one up and about pacing until he was sure he would walk straight through the floor!

"Yes that is what I've been thinking about, but then why send the messages? The only thing that it has achieved is getting the Senator off the planet quicker and increasing his security." He eyed Anakin urging him to stop pacing before he continued.

"If someone wanted to attack the Senator it would be smarter to carry out the attack when his security was at its lowest point not now," Obi wan finished. It was obvious they both needed to think on this matter he was sure the answer was staring them both straight in the face!

"We should meditate on this matter, I want to figure out what's going on before any attack can even be attempted". Obi wan took up a meditative position on his bed and waited until Anakin had calmed and also moved into the same position.

"Yes, Master" Anakin replied before closing his eyes and with the slight guidance from Obi wan he was in a deep meditative trance.

A memory sprung to the forefront of Obi wan's mind, of his first attempts to teach Anakin how to properly connect to the force. It had been amusing to say the least.

 _Obi wan sat crossed legged on the floor of the apartment he shared with Anakin. It had been a few weeks now since Anakin had started his training here at the temple. He was doing very well catching up in classes and didn't need too much nagging from Obi wan to get on with his homework outside of classroom hours._

 _Across from him sat Anakin, he had a padawan cut and a braid now. Instead of all that awful ruffly hair that covered his face before. Obi wan smiled as he watched Anakin get used to having a padawan braid, it did get in the way at first he had to admit but soon it would become part of him._

 _Now his task today was to try and show Anakin the correct ways to harness the force. He had started out by explaining that it can be used for many different purposes if channeled correctly, such as meditation to discover answers, healing and of course the one thing Anakin was very interested in moving objects across the room._

 _Obi wan sighed Anakin was very restless he was not looking forward to trying to teach him to sit here for hours on end meditating, maybe he would start with the moving objects to get Anakin focused on the task._

 _"What do I do master?" Anakin enquired, opening his eyes as if he'd been sat there hours already._

 _Oh yes this was going to be very taxing, Anakin's patience was NOT his strong point. Without opening his own eyes Obi wan replied._

 _"Well, Padawan, the first lesson is patience, and to keep your eyes closed until I tell you to open them," Obi wan grinned as he heard Anakin mentally sigh, he still didn't have blocks on his mind yet and kept forgetting Obi wan could identify everything he was feeling._

 _"I heard that young one." Obi wan gently swatted Anakin's head who just giggled in reply._

 _"When will I be able to read minds with the force?" Anakin queried._

 _"When you learn the basics young padawan, before you can learn to look into someone else's mind you must first learn control and how to shield your own." He felt Anakin's shoulders deflate as the realisation came that he wouldn't be doing anything 'cool'._

 _"Today however I thought we would start with seeing if you could harness the force to move various objects." Obi wan felt Anakin's excitement levels increase at that, yes this would be easier to teach first._

 _"You mean I get to throw things across the room?!"_

 _"No, Padawan, you will be testing if you can manipulate the force around an object to make it come towards you." Obi wan corrected, although he didn't think anything he could say now would lower his apprentice's levels of excitement._

 _"Now I want you to concentrate on an object in the room." He paused a moment. "Have you got one Ani?"_

 _"Yes, Master, I'm concentrating," replied Anakin with his face all scrunched up._

 _"Okay now I want you to feel out with your mind, I know it may sound crazy, but you have to trust in the force. Don't see, feel the energy around the object. The force surrounds everything it's the energy that binds each thing in the galaxy. Once you feel the strength of the force around the object reach out your arm and try and manipulate the particles surrounding it, bend it to your will, guide the object up into the air and that is where it will go."_

 _Obi wan finished his instructions and let Anakin give it a try by himself, he wasn't sure if he was expecting Anakin to be successful first time but he definitely wasn't expecting what happened next. He felt the object Anakin had chosen start to rise into the air, a little shaky at first but then it was still. 'Brilliant' Obi wan thought Anakin was a quick learner. Obi wan identified what the said object was, ah his teapot and, oh wait a minute!_

 _"Ow!" Obi wan exclaimed opening his eyes and rubbing his head with his hand._

 _The teapot had smacked the back of his head and it was still full! Hot liquid dripped down his back as he leapt to his feet trying to take the offending material off that was now scolding his shoulder. When he looked back at Anakin all he saw was innocence, he narrowed his eyes 'did he do that on purpose?'_

 _"Master, I'm so sorry!" Anakin too jumped quickly to his feet in an effort to help him get off the scalding hot material that was currently sticking to his skin._

 _No, Anakin had simply lost control he had thought moving it towards himself, without waiting for Obi wan's instructions would be a good idea, but he hadn't learnt to incorporate his surroundings without his vision and didn't realise that Obi wan's head would be directly in the teapot's flight path. Obi wan stared down at Anakin's face which was full of remorse, he couldn't stay mad at his padawan for long and soon started laughing at what a picture he must look now!_

 _"That's alright, Padawan, next time please don't try moving hot liquids about," chuckled Obi wan._

 _"Yes, Master." Anakin smiled back, that wasn't a complete disaster, he had moved an object across a room! Even if it had struck Obi wan's head._

 _"I think that's enough of that for now." Obi wan started towards the fresher to clean up. "Don't you have homework to be getting on with?" He smiled as Anakin groaned realising he hadn't been let off the hook completely._

Obi wan's mind returned to the present and he followed suit and also started to feel along the force looking for the answer to their problem.

It was strange, sometimes he had no problem finding answers through meditation and other times, like now it was as if the answer was just out his reach. It was like chasing a leaf on a windy afternoon, very elusive and the closer you got, the further away it danced just missing outstretched finger tips. It was very frustrating having the answer so close, but not being able to firmly grasp in his mind.

He felt frustration radiating off of his padawans body, he was obviously having as much trouble as Obi wan was. He sent calming waves along the bond, feeling Anakin's irritation being released, his padawan always got chagrinned when an answer didn't come to him immediately.

Obi wan was just as impatient at that age, only after years of practise and guidance from Qui gon, did his agitation decrease whilst searching for an answer. Even Obi wan was having trouble keeping his calm this time!

After what could have been hours in deep states of concentration, both Obi wan and Anakin felt a disturbance in the force, it was getting alarmingly close.

Obi wan's eyes flew open and just one word passed across his lips.

"Pirates".

* * *

 **So yes the next chapter will have a lot more going on, I have mostly written it and am going over/improving bits ready to publish. We will see the pair tackle pirates!**


	4. Chapter 4

**So this chapter's a little longer and deals with a lot more action! Next chapter should be up next week sometime deadlines at uni this week are slowing things down. anyway enjoy!**

* * *

Both Obi wan and Anakin vaulted up from their positions on their respective beds, just a moment before the first blast rocked the ship. The ship had only just exited hyperspace a few seconds before being hit. _What in the blazes was going on? How could the hyperdrive fail before getting blasted? And how did the pirates know their precise location?_ All these thoughts raced through Obi wan's mind quicker than the time it took for Anakin to blink. The entire ship lurched to the side and Anakin slammed into Obi wan who was doing quite well with his own balance, until that is when his apprentice slammed into him. They sprawled onto the floor as the ship started its own evasive maneuvers and Anakin heard the familiar sound of shields being raised all over the ship. _They had come out of nowhere then, and surprised the crew._ They both had come to the same conclusion at the same time.

With one glance towards each other, both master and apprentice dashed towards the door.

 _'Get the family to safety, Anakin, I'll head for the bridge and help with defences.'_ Obi wan veered off towards the bridge as he calmly issued instructions across the bond.

 _'Yes, Master,'_ Anakin replied trying to keep the anxiousness out of his voice. He quickly rushed off towards the Senator and his family's quarters. _How did his master stay so calm?_

 _'Because I took a moment to gather my thoughts, Anakin, just stay calm this is the reason I had you scout the ship earlier. You know the routes and you know what to do, you can do this padawan.'_ Of course Obi wan had noticed the quite frankly terrified look on his apprentice's face, this whole situation had gone sour, very quickly.

Anakin appreciated his master's words and the soothing wave of comfort travelling across their bond, so he too took a deep breath and composed himself. _Focus, you need to get to the family._ He thought to himself as another blast rocked the ship. This time he was prepared and didn't slow his jog, the ship seemed to be more able to deflect the brunt of the attack as well, the shields were holding for the moment.

* * *

Obi wan had just made it the bridge as the latest blast hit the ship, most of the crew had trouble staying on their feet, but now Obi wan was expecting the rocking it didn't even interrupt his stride. He headed straight for the captain and glanced outside the main viewport. _Stars that's a big ship, our only chance will be to try and outrun it_.

The offending ship was swinging back around, obviously it was coming back towards them again for another volley of shots. It wasn't high-tech but if Anakin were here Obi wan was sure he'd be telling him all the specs and all about the modifications. As Obi wan observed every inch of the ship in less than a moment a daunting thought came to mind. _With those modifications and weapons, it could possibly outrun us!_

Obviously they needed a better plan than just running, Obi wan could see from the various screens around the bridge that the hyperdrive was down. _How could they have knocked that out on the first shot?_ Obi wan again thought back to his initial questions, somehow their ship was now incapable of running away and the pirates knew their exact location. _Someone on board must be working for them,_ he mused. Glancing around the room there were no obvious candidates right now. _What does it matter right now?!_ he chided himself, their first priority were disabling those pirates.

"Status report!" The Captain bellowed, blood trickling from the side of his head, they had obviously got knocked around on the bridge earlier as well.

A few shouts from various crew later gave the news Obi wan was dreading. The hyperdrive was completely knocked out and engines were failing. The pirates knew exactly where to shoot to disable the ship and were doing a very good job of it. They had only fired a volley of shots and had effectively disabled their prey. This meant one thing, they wanted the Senator alive, they weren't aiming to destroy the cruiser just stop it in its tracks. Also to top it all off the ships weapons were overheating so they only had a few precious shots to spare. _Probably the work of the traitor, they had been thorough._

 _Think, Kenobi!_ There weren't many options open to them as all the possibilities and strategies raced through his mind. He had to admit the pirates had been very thorough, there wasn't an immediate answer for them to get away. There was only one thing for it then, the pirates had missed one weapon, the ship itself. If they could get into the right position they would have one run to ram their ship hopefully enough to damage it, if they could get close enough and target the pirate's weapons they could at least stop themselves from being shot at and start the repairs. _It was desperate…_ but then again it was either that or just be boarded, and with the size that ship is they must have a large crew. He and Anakin could hold off a fair amount of pirates, but the rest of the crew would be in danger not to mention the Senator and his family who could be used as hostages. _No it would be best to try and disable the Pirate's ship_. Obi wan concluded and went about informing the captain and bridge crew how to proceed. He just hoped Anakin was getting on okay.

* * *

Anakin rushed along the corridor of the ship skidding to a halt just in front of the Senator's door, the personal security nodded at him indicating the family were still inside.

"I have to get them to a safe place," Anakin blurted out, not waiting for the security to move out the way, he bounded into the room and looked around for the senator.

Anakin's eyes scoured the room, Senator Farr was pacing across the floor, his antennae waving about, anxiety emitting from his being in waves. In the corner of the room, cowering behind some furniture, were his wife and two children. Fear, the atmosphere surrounding them all was filled with it. Anakin glanced down at the children, they were both too young to be caught up in all this. Their wide eyes darting around trying to identify the threat, confused as to where the danger was coming from, their innocent gaze landed on him. Anakin had always been fascinated by the Rodian's eyes, it was like looking into the galaxy itself, if you weren't careful you get lost in those eyes for hours. At that moment he vowed to do everything in his power to keep them safe, these people were innocents caught up in this whole terrible mess.

Another blast hit the ship, the children cowered more in fear and their mother wrapped them closer to her. Anakin stayed on his feet this time, more prepared for the jolt that hit the ship. _How was Obi wan going to outrun these guys?_ Anakin shook himself mentally, he needed to get the family to safety that was his first priority, he had to leave the rest of the thinking to Obi wan they were a team after all.

Anakin stepped towards the Senator and helped him back to his feet, he had fallen to the other side of the room during the latest blasts.

"Senator, I'm here to get you all to safety, please follow me." Anakin waited until the Senator helped his family to their feet and they all headed out back into the corridor.

Anakin took the position at the front of the group, light saber in his hand, ready for any threat that the entourage might come across. He instructed the security force to flank the rest of the family, keeping them in a protective bubble essentially. He headed towards the nearest safe room he had previously scouted, confident in his ability to reach it. _Well as long as the ship didn't collapse in the mean time!_

 _'Anakin, do you have the family? I have reason to believe there is someone helping the pirates on board this ship. There are for too many problems happening at once for it to be a coincidence. '_ His masters voice drifted into his mind.

 _'Yes, Master, We're heading towards the east side of the ship. I'll stay on the lookout for any suspicious behaviour.'_ Anakin had also had this feeling that someone must be aiding the pirates from aboard this ship. Now they just had to be vigilant in case they tried to take direct action against the Senator.

 _'Good, I'll make sure we ram from the other side then,'_ came his master's voice, incredibly calmly as if he'd just been discussing making a pot of tea and not ramming an enemy's ship!

 _'Ram? Did I hear you right master? We do have weapons on this ship you know,'_ Anakin exclaimed, clearly shocked by his master's plan of action.

 _'Yes, my young Padawan, you heard me correctly we're going to RAM them, our weapons are nearly depleted. Engines are failing, the hyperdrive is out of action and to top it all off we are very close to becoming sitting ducks. This is the one weapon they didn't intend on us using, our own ship. This is our one chance to try and cripple their weapons and their ship. We can't outrun them and certainly can't beat them in a firefight with the remainder of our weapons and our maneuverability currently,'_ Obi wan explained to his apprentice.

 _'Sounds like a better plan than any then!'_ Anakin replied enthusiasm and sarcasm dripping off of his voice.

 _'Sarcasm is not appreciated right now Anakin.'_ Obi wan lectured, although he couldn't help a faint smile slip as well, he was picking up that particular trait from his padawan, he couldn't help the sarcastic comments that slipped out in conversation every now and again.

Anakin knew how strategically minded his master was, he would have thought of the all their available options and chosen a strategy within the blink of an eye. Anakin was always amazed at how quickly his mind seemed to work. He glanced behind him to make sure that everyone was still keeping up, he would have to warn everyone of his master's plan before the ships hit, they would all need to brace it would most likely be a rather large collision.

 _'Master, this must be why the threats were given, so the Senator left earlier and the pirates could attack!'_ Anakin exclaimed as the cogs turned in his brain over all the current problems, this was the most likely answer to the query he and his master were meditating on earlier.

 _'Perhaps, Padawan,'_ Obi wan mused, he still wasn't sure what the reason was, it all just didn't sit right with him. He would have to think on it later, if they got the chance that was. Right now he was getting ready to ram the ship into the pirates.

The transport lined up, the pirate ship was dead ahead. This was it, everyone on the bridge knew of their various responsibilities. They would ram the ship using the front, and if the pirate ship turned, then the west side of their transport. All the way there they would be firing shot after shot at the pirate's weapons systems until theirs burned out. This would be it, all or nothing.

The captain's voice drifted across the intercom around the entire ship, informing the crew and passengers of the plan to ram the pirate's and that everyone should clear the west side and brace themselves for collision.

Obi wan felt everyone's anxiety levels rising, this was pretty risky he had to admit. But this was their only chance of not becoming completely defenceless. The ship was ready, the crew were ready, this was it they were now heading forward for the ram maneuver.

Anakin had tried to comfort the family as they heard the captain's voice over the intercom informing everyone to brace. They hadn't quite reached the safe room yet so Anakin ordered the security detail to form a tight circle and had everyone brace themselves. He could hear the ships weapons firing at an alarming rate and felt the veering, meaning the ram would happen any second.

Their ship smashed into the pirate's ship with incredible force, he couldn't stay on his feet even though he knew it was coming. The engines groaned in despair as the horrible screeching sound of the scraping of metal on metal filled the corridors. _That was one hell of a bang!_ It sounded like Obi wan had hit the pirates right on target. _Let's just hope we knocked out their weapons_ Anakin thought grimly, getting everyone to their feet again. They were just yards away from the safe room, so Anakin sped everyone up. The family were ushered inside along with most of their personal security. The Senator ordered two of the men to accompany Anakin incase the pirates ended up boarding. They would need all the firepower out here that they could get!

With one last look at the children, Anakin slid the door shut and fused all of the door controls. The room itself wasn't too near the edge of the ship so should be safe if there were any more collisions. Besides it was one of the thickest walled rooms he had found. Anyone else trying to get in that room would have a hard time doing it. Of course Obi wan and Anakin could both get in, in an emergency by cutting through the thick walls with their light sabers. Confident that the family were as safe as they could be Anakin raced towards his master, their next threat would be any boarders that made it onto the ship.

* * *

Obi wan picked himself up from the floor of the bridge, not even he could withstand that amount of force that rocked the ship. He rushed forward to help the rest of the crew up off the floor, the entire room was full of smoke and alarms from various consoles filled the air informing the crew of the glaringly obvious, most of the ships systems were down. Obi wan glanced at the various readouts quickly, the shields seemed to have held across the ship and there were no hull breaches. The volley of shots that the ship had fired at the pirates had been successful in knocking out their weapons so there was one good thing that came of it.

Obi wan watched in dismay however as the pirate ship seemed to be still functioning engine wise, although there did appear to be damage to quite a few of their systems. So they could still move but they couldn't fire on them. Whereas the transport Obi wan was standing on was now completely a sitting duck. That meant the pirates probably had one thing in mind as soon as they stabilised their ship, _Boarding._

Obi wan felt along his training bond with Anakin trying to ascertain the location of his young padawan. He felt relief coarse through him when he felt Anakin's force presence, unharmed. It appears he was heading for the bridge which meant he must have been successful in getting the family safely hidden away. _Good now we need to plan on meeting the various boarding parties they will inevitably be sending over._

Not a moment later did Anakin come bounding onto the bridge, ready for action with his light saber gripped in his hand. The personal security for the Senator weren't far behind, huffing slightly more as they didn't have the energy levels of a 12 year old boy.

"Master, the family are sealed away on the east side. I've already seen the pirate ship readying ships to deploy towards us, they will be trying to board!" Anakin breathlessly blurted out.

 _'Patience, Padawan, we will be no help to this ship or the Senator if we go rushing in without a plan.'_ As Obi wan saw Anakin take a deep breath and prepare for instructions, he gathered the remaining security forces around and started detailing the plan.

Anakin was on one side of the transport and his master was on the other, they were each accompanied by the remaining security guards that weren't guarding the Senator. Each of them had just a handful of guards and they both realised they would have to split up to effectively defend the ship. There were three docking points, two on either side of the ship and then one at the rear which the pirates would inevitably try to use. The only problem was there were only two Jedi. So they had sent the Senator's personal guards to head up the rear defence and they themselves took the other two entry points.

Each guard held a blaster gun aiming at the docking doors. Obi wan had drilled Anakin and the teams of what to expect. Pirates usually attacked with force they would blast through the doors, and throw any kind of grenade you could think of. From smoke, to stun, to paralysing. It all depended on how well equipped their enemies were, for that reason all the teams waited a couple of yards away from the door to try and diminish the effects on them when the door was first blown open. There wasn't much finesse to the boardings, after chucking in grenades it was always followed by a volley of blaster fire.

They could hear the clang of metal as the pirate ships hit the docking port. Anakin had done his best to make it difficult for them door controls wise, but they would blast through them just the same eventually. His nerves were really getting to him now, the adrenaline pumping though his blood vigorously helping his focus on the door. This wasn't training anymore, these were real blasters, and he was protecting real people. If he messed up now it wasn't just his life on the line. The memory of being shot in that alley by a bounty hunter sprang back into his mind, he had never been in so much pain in his life, and really didn't want a repeat of that incident. With that determination in mind he ignited his light saber. The azure blade shot upwards and Anakin could feel the heat on his face. _I'm ready as I'll ever be…_

' _Be careful, Ani, trust in your training. If you start to get hit by too many pirates retreat towards the centre of the ship. Are you calm?'_ His master's voice floated into his mind. Obi wan must have sensed the conflicting emotions broadcasting from his apprentice.

 _'I'm getting there master, it's just a lot of responsibility. These people are trusting me with their lives!'_ The true weight of the situation suddenly caught up with him, _What if he let people down? What if he let his master down?_

 _'There is no point in thinking of what if's, Anakin, you know this. Live in the moment, the best you can do for these people is concentrate. Think back to training the other day, imagine you're wearing a blindfold. Block everything that doesn't matter out, just concentrate on the threat and deal with it.'_ Obi wan paused as the sound of blasts from the rear of the ship echoed along the corridors. _'Do that and you could never let me down, Anakin, May the force be with you, Padawan'_ Obi wan was all business now, he knew they only had seconds.

 _'May the force be with you, Master.'_ Anakin took a deep breath and sent a wave of gratitude along the bond, thankful for his master's words of encouragement. A few seconds later chaos reigned down on them all.

* * *

Obi wan and his team waited in cover at the end of the corridor, the door had just been blasted open and smoke poured out of the hole where the door used to be. Shock grenades were the next out, intending to blind their victim's sight. Obi wan of course didn't need his vision to fight, in the Jedi temple they were trained from when they first arrived to fight whilst blinded. Next came the blaster fire.

The fire wasn't really aiming at anyone at first but it still served its purpose as the pirates scrambled to get feet onto the ship and find cover, the team behind Obi wan couldn't stick their heads round the corner long enough to fire back without nearly getting hit by stray bullets themselves.

Obi wan jumped into the fray, his movements a blur to the casual eye. Deflecting any blasts that were heading in his general vicinity back the way they came, he heard a few bolts hit their targets and bodies hit the floor. Yet still the pirates continued piling out of the hole tossing more grenades as they went. _Interesting only stun and disorientating measures, they could have easily thrown more harmful grenades towards them_ , something twigged at the back of his mind at that but Obi wan was far too involved with the battle in front of him to worry about it.

The men beside him were using crates and anything they could find as cover, he heard more and more bodies drop to the floor as blasters hit their targets. The stench of smoke and death filled the air, and Obi wan missed one of the shock grenades before it blasted near to his feet. An awful ringing sound filled his ears, and his eyesight was just a flashing white light. Obi wan called on the force and closed his eyes, he felt every bolt that came his way still and deflected them with precision. An outside eye wouldn't have believe what he was seeing, a Jedi moved so quickly that it all seemed to happen in the blink of an eye.

He grimaced as he heard the man that was just beside him drop to the floor in a cry of pain, he obviously had been stunned by the grenade and was wandering around disorientated, well before being hit square in the chest by a blaster. _There are too many of them here._ Not only that but he sensed that a lot of the pirates were now roaming the ship, every now and again they'd make a break for the adjacent corridor and some of them always made it. Not just that though, the force was screaming a warning at him. _They were being outflanked!_ It looked as though the rear of the ship's team had been disabled, so hordes of pirates were piling on there. He could sense that Anakin only had a few members of his team left, and he himself only had a handful of men still up and fighting. There was no doubt about it the ship was being overrun. Obi wan hadn't anticipated this many pirates, it was unheard of! _All for one Senator…_ he mused. He was sure there was something else there, all the clues they had thought about until the ship was attacked were leading somewhere. The problem is he didn't have the time now to think about the ramifications of where his thoughts were leading him.

With one more assessment over the area there was only one conclusion really, they had to retreat to the centre of the ship and hope that his and Anakin's combined forces could fend them off.

"Retreat!" Obi wan shouted to the 3 remaining men behind him. S _tars and galaxies, this wasn't looking good._

* * *

Anakin was having a very hard time keeping the barrage of shots that were aimed at him and his companions at bay. He despaired every time he heard one of the men behind him cry out and hit the ground. He knew better than anyone how painful a blaster shot was and his was only in the arm! _There's too many of them._ Anakin started to panic, the waves of pirates never seemed to end. He wasn't expecting this many! The grenades even kept on coming, he was long ago blinded and had been relying on the force to deflect the blaster shots back at the assailants.

He recoiled slightly as a blaster shot whizzed past his arm, it had gotten past his defences and left a slight graze. Hissing he focused back on the task at hand. _That could have been a lot worse had it been on target!_ He had to be more careful.

 _'Anakin, there are pirates all over the ship! They've broken through the rear defences. Retreat back to the centre and we'll try and regroup.'_ Anakin noted the slight worry in his master's voice. _It must be bad then,_ Obi wan only ever panicked when the situation was grave.

Anakin didn't have the concentration to respond right now, all his focus and energy were being directed at the ongoing battle. After he signaled the remaining men on his team to retreat, he followed them. Swinging his light saber in large arcs, trying to deflect the shots being aimed at his companions. After getting out of sight of the pirates he responded to his master.

 _'Coming, Master I lost some of my team, those pirates were evil they didn't stop, everyone was screaming'._ Anakin replied dejectedly. It was down to him to keep these people safe and he had failed, the truth was there were too many shots for him to stop all of them, force knows he tried, but when the grenades kept coming people got hit. Anakin knew he wouldn't forget the screams of men dying in pain for the rest of his life.

 _'I know, Padawan, I too saw an awful amount of unnecessary death. It's not your fault, there are just too many of them'_ Obi wan's voice was also full of sorrow, trying to reassure Anakin knowing the boy would take it all to heart anyway.

Anakin wanted to ask one day if it ever got easier, seeing death that is. Killing people. From the tone in his master's voice he knew the answer, no it didn't get easier and he had never got used to it.

Obi wan waited in the central corridor, one of the Senator's personal security from the rear door had made it back. It's funny the rear door had been completely over run very quickly and yet this guard had made it back with nothing more than a blaster graze to his arm. Before Obi wan could think any more on the matter Anakin came bursting into the room with what was left of his team. Only two as well. That made just five guards left as well as Obi wan and Anakin. _This was looking impossible…_

He looked down at his padawan, sweat poured from his face and his tunic was covered in singe marks from near misses. He noted a slight graze from a blaster, nothing serious, his padawan had done exceptionally well in difficult circumstances. Obi wan was very proud of him. However he hated the fact Anakin had seen so much death on his first mission, he had sounded so pained over the bond, taking each death personally. He would need to sit him down after all this, that is if they made it through the rest of the attack which was looking more and more unlikely by the second, and talk to him about not taking personal responsibility for every death around him. The boy was too compassionate for his own good, one of his biggest problems Obi wan knew was his belief that he could save everybody.

Obi wan felt a surge in the force warning them to the appearance of the pirate's return from one side of the room. Everyone jumped back into battle again and Obi wan fought alongside his padawan. They were a blur of movements, light sabers swinging in large arcs deflecting shot after shot.

Anakin stood side by side with his master deflecting blast after blast, feeling ready for the next onslaught of the attack. He felt a danger in the force behind him as he heard several pirates race towards the east side of the ship, the Senators location. The Senator's personal security guard raced out of the room after them. Anakin knew he would be needing his help and without another thought he charged out of the room intent on keeping those pirates away from the Senator and his family. As he left he noticed with dismay there was only one other guard standing, nearly the entire security force wiped out!

* * *

Obi wan noticed his padawan leave his side and rush out of the room following the fleeing security guard. Surprisingly the amount of pirates pouring into the room were thinning, _maybe they plan on regrouping and coming in from multiple sides?_ Obi wan heard the last guard fall with a grunt and felt his life force leave him. He winced this was one of the worst battles he had been in in a long time. Finally the last pirate raced in and Obi wan deflected the laser blast back at him. Anakin had only charged out a few moments earlier, Obi wan turned intent on going after him.

 _Fool! How stupid had he been!_ Every answer he had been searching for hit him at once, halting Obi wan in his steps effectively. The threats, the amount of pirates piling onto this ship, far more than any Obi wan had ever seen to capture just one Senator, the traitor… Every shot that had been fired at Obi wan had been wounding only not fatal, he had assumed these pirates were poor shooters but then they hit the others just fine! _How could I have been so blind?_ These pirates weren't after the Senator that was all a smoke screen. _They want us_.

With that deadly thought in mind Obi wan raced after Anakin, he was running straight into a trap! He chastised himself for not connecting all the dots earlier, the only logical reason anyone would make threats to increase security on board for their target was to get Jedi on board. Of course that in itself wasn't logical Jedi were notoriously hard to capture, hence the large number of pirates sent on board. They would have needed an inside man to ensure the ships little resistance in a firefight. _The security guard that was fighting on the rear! He had probably turned on the other men_. With that grim thought Obi wan sped up.

' _Anakin! it's a trap they want us!'_ As soon as Obi wan had said that he watched with horror as a metal bulkhead door slid down between him and Anakin effectively separating them.

Panic raised in Obi wan as he felt several enemies converge on Anakin's position and felt a quite alarmingly large amount of pain seep through their bond.

Obi wan slid to a stop in front of the bulkhead and immediately started cutting through it with his light saber. He didn't care about anything else other than getting to his padawan, he was in real trouble and could be very injured.

His arms shook with the pure effort of guiding the light saber around to cut out a whole big enough for him.

 _'Hold on, Ani, I'm coming!'_

He knew Anakin was still alive, he had felt what it was like for a bond to shatter when the recipient on the other end died and didn't want to feel that agony ever again. He was too desperate to get to the other side of the bulkhead and prevent his padawan's demise that he missed all the warnings emulating from the force.

Mercifully the metal finally gave way and Obi wan burst through the still searing hole, light saber at the ready. What greeted him the other side rocked him to his very core. He was surrounded by what must have been 25 to 30 assailants all pointing blasters in his general direction.

That wasn't the thing that stilled his heart though, the sight that had almost caused him to lose control was the body of HIS padawan in the grip of the smirking traitor with a large gash down the side of Anakin's face and a blaster pointed directly at Anakin's head.

* * *

 **I hoped you liked it! as always please review :)**

 **until next time**


	5. Chapter 5

**So this chapters a little longer and things are starting to heat up!**

* * *

Seeing Anakin bleeding took Obi wan back to a memory he would honestly rather quite like to forget, it was of a day where his padawan had given him his first brush with how a heart attack must feel, Obi wan had made a vow to himself that day and still intended on keeping it.

 _Obi wan was looking for his padawan again. He had snuck out of the temple over and over, in the time that Obi wan had been his master. That boy was infuriating, he never listened to rules and always thought he could sweet talk his way out of trouble._

 _Obi wan suspected Anakin was located on the lower levels of Coruscant searching for parts for the blasted droids he insisted on cluttering up their apartment with. Usually Obi wan simply waited until Anakin tried to sneak back in and reprimand him then, but tonight was different. The force had screamed a warning at him loud enough to break through his sleep. He was certain it was to do with Anakin and was currently searching along their training bond trying to ascertain the boy's location._

 _Definitely the lower levels, Obi wan concluded rushing out the door sensing his padawan's anxiety and heartbeat rising, something was definitely happening Anakin was in trouble. Obi wan made it to a transport in record time and headed straight down towards his apprentice's location below, putting his foot down as more and more feelings drifted along their bond. fear, panic, pain Anakin was fighting something. Obi wan prayed he wouldn't be too late by the time he got there._

 _Parking the transport just off from an alley, Obi wan vaulted after his padawan's force signature, it was so strong he had sensed it as soon as he had started to descend towards the bottom of the city. 'Arghhhh' Intense pain shot across the bond as he felt a fierce feeling from Anakin. Obi wan doubled his efforts, panic flowing through his very being, he was so close now 'just hold on, Ani'._

 _When he rounded the last corner what he saw shocked him, the ground was littered with the fallen bodies of what looked like bounty hunters and there was his padawan, a smoking hole through his shoulder falling to his knees as if in slow motion. Obi wan raced forward grimacing as Anakin hit the ground hard, reaching his fallen apprentice he glanced around to make sure the threat was over. Anakin had dealt with all of the assailants and got away with just one blaster wound, 'force he was lucky'. As Anakin passed out, most likely from the pain of the blaster wound which Obi wan could still feel through their bond, he picked him up and headed back to the transport with haste._

 _Obi wan sent healing energies through their bond, hoping to lighten some of the pain in Ani's shoulder. He glanced down at the boy as he jogged along, his padawan's young face was scrunched up in pain even in unconsciousness. 'How could he be so reckless?, I am going to kill him myself for nearly giving me a heart attack' Obi wan exasperated, loading Anakin into the back of the transport._

 _Obi wan stayed by Anakin's side in the healers ward until he woke. His anger at his padawan for jumping into a situation had eased slightly, a very beaten man had come forward to thank a Jedi boy who had helped him. Obi was sure from the beings story if Anakin had not jumped in he would be dead now. Pride welled up in Obi wan as the man relayed that Anakin had bounded in without a second thought, he always wanted to help everyone. The boy has a good heart._

 _Obi wan sighed, even though it was a good thing Anakin did, jumping in without thinking is not the Jedi way. His padawan was very lucky those criminals weren't more experienced, he had only been training for just over a year even with his advanced learning rate it was very risky. Obi wan knew it was in Anakin's nature to do just what he did, his thoughts for others always came first, he would have to take it upon himself to be there when Anakin's heart led him into danger and do everything in his power to keep him safe._

 _As he stared down at the sleeping injured boy, Obi wan vowed to himself he would protect his padawan with his life. Anakin wasn't just his apprentice, he was like a son to Obi wan. He exasperated him and nearly drove him crazy half the time, but Obi wan loved him like a son and he couldn't help it, be damned to what the council might say about it._

Obi wan's mind returned to the present as he regarded the scene in front of him. Anakin had made exactly the same mistake this time as he had all those years ago, he had let his heart lead him. His desire to get to the family and save them had meant he overlooked the very real danger right in front of him. Now it was Obi wan's responsibility to get them out of this, he chided himself again for not warning Anakin in time.

Intense hatred engulfed Obi wan's mind, he had not taken his eyes off of Anakin the moment he had locked eyes on him. His padawan did not seem to be very aware of his surroundings and couldn't meet Obi wan's worried eyes, probably the fault of the large wound on his head and the concussion that was probably starting to affect him now. He grimaced inwardly as he saw the hutt-spawn that held Anakin tighten his arm round his padawan's neck effectively cutting off his airway.

Obi wan knew they were in trouble he was vastly outnumbered his padawan injured, there was no backup no help left on the ship. None of these feelings reached the features on his face however, no his face was a picture of utter control and serenity, years and years of experience was the only thing stopping Obi wan from showing all of the emotions and fears he could feel swelling up inside him.

Keeping his light saber gripped tightly in his hand in the perfect defence posture, Obi wan glanced around the room for a second. Trying to identify any weakness in the situation that he and Anakin had quite spectacularly fallen in to. In the fleeting moment Obi wan's worst fears were realised, there was no chance he could get himself and Anakin out of this alive, he could probably last for a while against the men in usual circumstances. But these were not usual circumstances, before he even started Anakin would be dead, and he would most likely be right after him in his current state. He didn't like to admit it but the events of the last hour had really taken its toll on his battered body and everything seemed to be catching up on Obi wan at once.

The slight smirk on the traitor's face revealed that he had noticed Obi wan's quick recon of the room and he seemed to have picked up on the slight dejected look on Obi wan's face. Even though it had only been there for a split second it weakened his negotiation power considerably. Both sides of the party knew how futile a rescue attempt from Obi wan would be at this moment.

Obi wan's eyes fell back on his Padawan, who seemed to be a bit more alert now he was slowly being starved of oxygen.

 _'Ani! Look at me. Don't panic, we're going to get out of this.'_ Obi wan tried to reach Anakin desperately along the bond, the last thing they needed was his padawan freaking out and lashing out.

The tension in the room was palpable, any sudden movements and Obi wan had no doubt that everyone in the room would begin firing in his direction and Anakin would be dead within a matter of seconds. He willed for his padawan to respond!

* * *

Anakin's head hurt a lot. Everything was fuzzy and nothing seemed to be making much sense to him at the moment. He had run into the room trailing the security officer, _kriffing sith_ , that had turned out to be a bad plan running blindly without Obi wan. He only just heard Obi wan's cry of warning before BAM!

That was the last clear memory Anakin had, he had dropped his light saber in the process and heard it roll off towards the side of the room. He had tried to open his eyes but the blinding light just made everything greatly worse, he saw a faint outline of the security officer before being pulled unceremoniously to his feet. A hefty weight snaked itself around Anakin's neck and he noted a prodding in his head, which felt unmistakably like a blaster. _Obi wan's gonna kill me!_

Anakin had scrunched his eyes up, wishing that his head would stop feeling as though it was splitting apart. It wasn't helping so he pried his eyes open slightly to see what mess he had gotten himself in and more importantly how he was going to get out of this!

There was an odd smell in the air, like metal burning. That was when Anakin spotted what was most definitely Obi wan's light saber cutting through the bulkhead in front of them. Anakin looked around, _too many bad guys to count_ , with Anakin out of the picture at the moment things were not looking good for them.

That was when Obi wan burst into the room, blue light saber held out in front of him ready to cut down anyone that got between him and his padawan. Anakin tried to focus on his master and what he saw in those brief seconds worried him immensely. He had caught the flash of emotions crossing his masters face as he assessed the situation. _Anger, pain, immense_ hatred and lastly most painfully _defeat._

He had observed Obi wan make a visual inspection of the room and had watched as his master realised they were vastly outnumbered and he couldn't save Anakin. All of these emotions flicked across his master's face in less than a second before his face became a perfectly guarded mask again. Anakin could sense the fury emanating from his master in waves though as he felt the arm holding him squeeze tighter, making it almost impossible to breathe.

The lack of oxygen helped to bring Anakin's senses back to him, the blood from his forehead continued to drip down his face as he heard his master's voice across their bond. _Dont panic! Was he mad can't he see what's going on?_

Anakin met his master's warier gaze, he saw that Obi wan was desperately trying to reassure him. That was when Anakin realised why, his master was worried Anakin was going to do something stupid and act out. Which with the current mood in the room would not be good for Anakin or Obi wan. The amount of blasters pointed at Obi wan were immense, each with an accompanying itching trigger finger, all waiting for the Jedi to make a move that would result in a fatal outcome.

 _'I'm not strong enough to get out of this hold, I don't know where my light saber is,'_ Anakin quickly spluttered.

Anakin tried to slow down his thinking, trying to convey to Obi wan that he didn't know what to do whilst showing that he was taking on his words of caution about not panicking. The last thing Anakin was going to do was be the cause of the death of his master. The thought alone was enough to raise his heart again.

 _'You're not going to cause my death Ani, these pirates want us alive that's why they went to all this trouble. Even if you did manage to get out from him I don't know if even I could take on this amount of assailants.'_

Anakin noticed his master leaning slightly to one side, _he must have been injured in battle_ , Anakin was also exhausted. They had been fighting for so long and the effects had finally crept up on them.

 _'What do they want with us?!'_ Anakin exclaimed, he knew pirates dealt in slave trading. That was one road he never wanted to walk again, the memories and feelings from those days were buried deep down in his core. It scared him how much anger was there and how he couldn't control it when it reared its ugly head.

 _'I don't know, padawan, they wouldn't go through all of this for slave trading trust me. I'm going to try and get you out of this."_ Obi wan had picked up on his apprentice's apprehension when he realised what pirate's were involved in.

Before Anakin could ask what his master meant at that he heard Obi wan address his captor in the coldest voice he had ever heard, if he hadn't have seen his master's lips moving at the same time he wouldn't have believed that was the voice of Obi wan right now. It dripped with venom, threatening every man in the room with the tone, with just three little words, Anakin had never seen his master speak with such ferocity or authority.

"Let him go."

Obi wan noticed nearly everyone in the room stiffen, their hands clutching their weapons even tighter if that was possible. Everyone knew there was nothing more dangerous than an angry Jedi and Obi wan was quite positively livid.

"And why would I do that when we hold all the cards" Drifted a silky voice from the door as a new figure stalked in. _The man in charge_ , Obi wan mused as he noticed the alpha male qualities and every man in the room tense as they heard his voice roll into the room.

The newly entered alien was humanoid, however he obviously wasn't of human descent. Where his nose should have been there were just two slits, and his eyes, large and unforgiving, glowed an eerie red colour. His skin had a slight tinge of blue to it, and his hands only had four fingers on each. He was a beast of a being though, towering over Obi wan easily, looking solid as a rock. Obi wan wasn't the tallest of Jedi but he hadn't been towered over in such a way since _Qui gon. I could really use him here…_

'Y _ou will handle this far better than I ever could.'_ drifted a voice from somewhere.

Obi wan's attention snapped to Anakin, no that wasn't his voice yet it sounded like it had come from the force. _If I didn't know any better I would have said that was Qui gon's voice_. Shaking himself out of it mentally Obi wan's attention came back to the current grave situation.

"Not all the cards," Obi wan replied indicating to his light saber still ignited in his sweating hands.

"The only one that matters." The alien inclined his head knowingly before answering in a chilling tone, glancing sparingly at Anakin's very still form.

The way Obi wan looked at Anakin confirmed it for the alien, he had spotted the protective stare Obi wan had given his apprentice. Obi wan's breathing stilled as the alien smiled knowing he was right, Obi wan was in his control by proxy. His only option was to try and negotiate Anakin out of this, maybe they would be satisfied with a Jedi knight, if ransom was the reason they were doing this. Obi wan really hadn't given much thought as to why they were targeted, everything was just going too fast. Anakin and he hadn't been out on any mission's to make enemies yet which led Obi wan to conclude this was most likely about him.

"I am Skepaf, pleased to meet your acquaintance." Bowed the alien mockingly, clearly enjoying the predicament Obi wan was in. _Lovely a psychopath then,_ thought Obi wan grimly.

 _"_ If I surrender myself to you and offer no resistance, will you let my padawan go?" Obi wan put on his best diplomatic voice not letting any hatred seep in, this was going to be tricky the alien was right they held the only card that mattered.

Skepaf seemed to consider the offer for a second, he saw the determination in the Jedi's eyes and knew he could do some damage if he really wanted to. He could even kill Skepaf if he deflected a bolt in his direction which Skepaf was sure was no problem for a Jedi with Obi wan's experience.

"You know we would win in a firefight, Jedi maybe good but you're not infallible," chided the alien.

"But how many men would I take down before you manage to cut me down, I may even get to you." Obi wan finished saying the last word in the most chilling voice he could conjure. That hit the mark Skepaf visibly shifted, Obi wan had found Skepaf's weakness, he would not risk his own life.

Skepaf seemed to consider his options for a while, glancing around the room and finally laying his eyes back on Obi wan.

"Touché. If you surrender yourself WITHOUT resisting then I give you my word that I will let the boy go". Skepaf replied, his eyes glinting mischievously.

Obi wan knew the word of a pirate meant next to nothing, but what choice did he have? There was no way he could attack without resulting in the death of Anakin. That was an outcome he couldn't except even if he came out of this mess alive himself which he highly doubted. Obi wan saw Anakin's pleading eyes obviously not wanting Obi wan to listen to the pirate, he was probably picking up on the deception from the alien as well. Looking at Anakin's small frame crushed against the officer made up his mind for him, he acknowledged he had already known what he was going to do the first time he realised Anakin would be collateral damage in any fight. He made a vow once to protect this boy with his life and he intended to keep that promise, this was the only way Obi wan could see to keep Anakin coming from deadly harm.

"I am going to make this simple for you Jedi Knight Kenobi, drop your light saber and surrender yourself or I will order my man here to blow you padawan's head clean off" Skepaf's tone had lowered to menacing the further he got along the sentence, narrowing his eyes at Obi wan obviously impatient to Obi wan's inaction.

 _'You can't master! He won't let me go if you surrender you know that.'_ The rest of what Anakin was going to say got lost as the arm covering his neck tightened even further.

Obi wan glared at Skepaf, it was clear he was done with Obi wan's stalling. The message was clear, give up now or lose Anakin. _That is something I cannot accept._

 _'Stay still, let them think you're too weak to do anything they might get complacent. No matter what they do to me Anakin, if you have a chance to get out take it.'_

At sensing Anakin's upcoming rebuke Obi wan interrupted before his padawan started to rant.

' _That is an order Anakin. Someone needs to get a message to the council, we can't get out of this ourselves at the moment. Someone has intricately planned every detail of this trap and we've fallen right into it.'_

Preparing himself for the next events, Obi wan took a deep breath and deactivated his light saber. His only defence fell away from his finger tips and hit the ground with a resounding clang. The pirate's immediately pounced, one going straight for his light saber, a few keeping him covered with blasters and the rest wrestling his arms behind his back with haste as if he would just swat them all away like flies any moment.

He didn't resist through any of it, keeping his eyes locked on Anakin throughout the whole ordeal. He felt the snap of electro cuffs close tightly around his wrists, biting into his skin. Wincing slightly he noticed a pirate approaching with a syringe, the thought to struggle was quickly quashed by the raised eyebrow of the officer and the tapping of the blaster against Anakin's head.

A swift kick to the back of his legs sent Obi wan crashing to his knees hard on the steel floor. Nothing more than a grunt escaped his lips, he didn't want to give these criminals the satisfaction or to make his padawan anymore worried. Obi wan noted Anakin already looked like he wanted to vault at every single one of these animals and rip their throats out.

Someone yanked his head painfully to the side exposing his neck, he had no idea what was about to be injected into his system but he was almost certain it would be nothing pleasant.

Obi wan couldn't help but scrunch up his face a little when the needle was thrust into the major vein in his neck carelessly. He sensed the substance start to circulate through his blood, he tried to reach out to the force and lessen the effects of whatever it was. Alarmingly he couldn't focus on the force, shaking his head he tried again and this time his connection was even weaker. He couldn't even hear Anakin anymore, their once strong bond which was usually a beacon of light was no more than a few grey tendrils now. And it was getting fainter by the second.

Obi wan's heart raced as the possibilities ran through his mind, _Am I dying? Is that why I'm losing connection to Anakin_ , from the appalled look on Anakin's face he could tell the loss of their connection wasn't going unnoticed to him. He thought he heard someone that sounded like Anakin faintly shouting in his mind but then it was gone, everything around him was so empty. It was like nothing he had ever felt in his life, that one sure connection that had been there since birth, to the force, was just _gone_.

With that conclusion Obi wan looked up at Skepaf and the officer to see them both smirking down at their captive, they were gleefully enjoying his predicament.

"Something wrong, Jedi? That precious force of yours being elusive is it?" sneered Skepaf.

"What did you give me?" Obi wan all but shouted.

Without the soothing presence of the force there with him it was very hard to calm his temper. He had relied on it since birth and having it ripped away from his very soul was making him feel empty, drained and all his slight wounds from earlier flared to an immense pain. He had always had the force to call upon to lessen wounds and heal injuries, now all his damaged nerves screamed out at him at once, alerting Obi wan to all of the injuries he had been successfully ignoring before with the help of the force. Everything burned, _Oh force why does everything hurt so much?_

Skepaf nodded to a pirate off of Obi wan's right shoulder. He turned just in time to see the butt of rifle heading straight for his face, he heard the crunch as his nose crumpled under the blow and howled out in pain as he crashed towards the floor. Obi wan had never felt pain like it before, so raw, so unchecked. The cool steel of the floor gave some comfort to his burning face, it didn't last for long as he felt his arms being grabbed before he was jerked back up onto his feet.

Skepaf sauntered towards the freshly bleeding Jedi, a look of pure satisfaction plastered on his face. Without a warning from the force Obi wan didn't see the blow coming, didn't have a chance to prepare himself for it. Skepaf's balled up fist when straight for his ribs, winded Obi wan fell forward, too shocked and breathless to cry out. He just wanted to curl up into a ball until the pain went away, he could feel blood pouring down his face from his nose which felt like it was being hit over and over again. He was jerked up again only for Skepaf to repeat his motion only harder this time. Obi wan grunted as he again struggled to stay upright but once again fell painfully on his already bruised knees.

Then Skepaf's hard coated boot struck him in his midsection with such force that it launched Obi wan over onto his back. That time he did scream, he couldn't help it the force of that kick had shattered at least two ribs he could feel them loose in his chest now.

Breathing heavily Obi wan tried to concentrate on anything in the room other than the agonising pain he was in, it didn't work all he could think about was breathing as he tried desperately to alleviate the pain, on instinct reaching out for the force and grunting as he sensed there was nothing there.

* * *

Anakin watched in horror as his master was beaten. He grimaced himself for each blow that had hit Obi wan. The only thing stopping him from rushing forward was the blaster pushed deeper against his head and his master's last instructions not to do anything stupid whatever they do to Obi wan. _That's easier to say than do!_ Anakin thought as the sith spit slammed his boot viciously into Obi wan's midsection. There was a resounding crack that echoed off of the metal walls, Anakin despaired at the pain his master was so clearly in, rasping breaths came from his broken fallen body.

He had tried desperately to contact him, give him some reassurance anything just to talk to him. But Anakin had recoiled from the force in horror as he didn't sense Obi wan, not in the force or along their training bond. That constant part of his mind was now horribly silent, it was like having a limb cut off. That was when the horrible thought crossed Anakin's mind as he felt Obi wan's side of the bond drift away, _What if he's dying?_ Anakin couldn't handle that, what else could effectively cut off Obi wan from their bond and the force itself!

Anakin shot daggers as Skepaf turned round to face him, a glint in his eye clearly ecstatic with what was happening to Obi wan. Anakin felt his hatred build up in side of him, without Obi wan as an anchor it continued to rise for once Anakin didn't want to release it into the force. He wanted to use it to rip each and every one of these cowards apart with his bare hands.

His attention focused back to his master as he heard him grunt in pain, if they had found a way to cut off Obi wan from the force Anakin couldn't even begin to imagine the complete misery his master must be in. Without the force to call on to help alleviate the injuries Obi wan's body must be in complete torment.

Anakin grimaced as he observed his master being hauled barbarously to his knees, there was now a steady flow of blood dripping down his face, his nose definitely looked broken. Skepaf kneeled down in front of his master and Anakin wanted nothing more in that moment than to separate Skepaf's head from his shoulders.

* * *

Obi wan's view of the ceiling was obstructed by two burly pirates who viciously dragged him to his knees in front of Skepaf, with no consideration to his newly broken ribs. Obi wan cried out again as they intentionally jostled his shattered bones. He let his head hang low, blood dripping all over the spot in front of him. _I have to control the pain_.

His thoughts were interrupted as a rough hand grabbed his jaw lifting his face up to meet Skepaf's gaze. That's when Obi wan shivered, he saw the delight at his pain in those eyes, this being was completely sociopathic. With a satisfied grin he rose away from Obi wan and went and stood back by Anakin, who looked well completely horrified _I don't blame him, I must look a mess._ He could sense even without the force hatred and anger rolling off of his apprentice's being in waves.

"I'm sure by now you've noticed the purpose of the drug." He waited staring down at the Jedi master, making sure he had his complete attention. When Obi wan glowered back at him he chuckled and continued.

"It's new, I must admit when I was handed the serum I did not expect such excellent results!"

He was interrupted by Anakin, Obi wan couldn't warn him through the bond to stay silent although he still tried out of habit and was once again dismayed at the lack of anything to connect to.

"You're sick! What kind of …" Anakin was abruptly cut off by a blaster hit to the face. He sagged in the arms of the officer who still held him, barely conscious. His wound on the side of his face had almost closed up but now dark crimson blood ran freely down his face again.

Obi wan was about to start forward and say something when a blaster was levelled at Anakin's head. He stopped, losing his temper at this monster would result in Anakin's death. Skepaf continued as Anakin was silenced and Obi wan leant back again.

"As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted…" Sending Anakin a glare that conveyed if he interrupted again he'd be sorry. Obi wan hoped he would get the hint and stay silent he didn't want to see his padawan in anymore pain.

"This is called a force suppressor, it has been synthesised from the blood of the Ysalamiri. There's also a few chemical substances in there which are supposed to enhance the pain felt by the subject. And by that little display I'd say it works very well wouldn't you?"

Obi wan knew that was a rhetorical question, everyone in the room had witnessed the immense pain he had felt at each blow. Suddenly the great Jedi knight was just a man and everyone sensed it, the fear he had noticed from the men had reduced dramatically as they had witness him cry out in pain and had bones broken. He had heard tales of the Ysalamiri, they were a lizard like creature with the ability to repel force users, Jedi feared to be around them and now Obi wan could understand why.

Satisfied with the result of the situation Skepaf signalled to the men to move out, the officer hefted Anakin over his shoulder and started to trudge out of the room.

"You gave me your word, you'd release him." Obi wan was desperate now, he knew his voice must have dripped with it but there were no more cards to play. If he had to beg to get his padawan out of here then he would.

"I'm afraid my employer wants the both of you, I can't help you Jedi," Skepaf replied paying no more attention to Obi wan's declaration as he instructed more men.

"Please… I'm begging you he's just a boy." Obi wan couldn't believe the words that were falling out of his own mouth, without the force his centre of balance was all over the place and he was acting on pure instinct.

That made Skepaf spin round, surprise etched on all his features. Surprisingly there wasn't the malice there that Obi wan had expected, for a brief second he thought he saw pity, but that couldn't be this man was a heartless criminal.

Skepaf started towards Obi wan, he prepared himself for the upcoming blow closing his eyes. When no attack came he opened them again, thinking he was being played with.

"You care for the boy more than you should, I thought Jedi weren't allowed attachments." He had a questioning tone to his voice.

Obi wan realised Skepaf must have seen something in him as he had pleaded for Anakin's life, was he generally interested or just playing with the Jedi. Without the force Obi wan had trouble assessing his captor's intent.

"I care about him more than anyone in the universe, he is more than an apprentice to me, he has become like a son and I can't stand to see him hurt." Obi wan's instincts told him to stick with the truth so that's exactly what he did, his voice breaking slightly at the end.

Skepaf studied him and sighed, what had changed to this merciless monster. Why would my attachment to Anakin make him think twice, _He must have a son Obi wan deduced._

"I can't release him my employer was very specific, I can promise you this though. Whilst he is in my care no more harm will come to him, you must make him understand though if he tries anything you will be the one who will be punished." By the end of the sentence the coldness was back, and Obi wan sensed all of Skepaf's reservations fall.

This was the best he was going to get, his need to do the job outweighed the father in him. Obi wan knew pushing it was treading on dangerous ground, this way Anakin would not be harmed which was something. With disgust at having to thank somebody for the position they were in, Obi wan swallowed his pride and answered.

"Thank you". He poured sincerity and gratitude into his expression and voice hoping Skepaf wouldn't sense his anger.

He didn't, or if he did he didn't show it, with a nod of his head he stalked off out of the room. Not before giving a signal to someone behind Obi wan.

Obi wan knew what was coming before it even hit, he felt the whoosh of air just microseconds before a blaster slammed into the back of his head with such ferocity that he thought his brain would ping pong out of his skull. _I hope Anakin's alright_ , was his last thought before drifting into blissful unconsciousness.

* * *

 **As always please let me know what you think, until next time...**


	6. Chapter 6

**Okay this chapter turned out a little differently to what I expected, I got kinda lost in the flashback so that takes up a lot of the chapter! As always your feedback would be great, enjoy!**

* * *

Anakin's small frame shivered as he leant back against the cell wall, he was always so cold on spaceships he had always been used to hot environments not the cold black void that was space. His head hurt, a lot, it took him some time to steady himself enough to feel as though he wouldn't vomit everywhere when he was carelessly dumped into the cramped cell. He definitely had concussion, if the first bashing didn't cause it then the second definitely did. He was mad at himself for running straight into a trap without thinking about things first, and now his actions had caused his master pain too.

Anakin's eyes drifted to the still form of Obi wan at his feet, he still hadn't regained consciousness. Anakin had tried to make things more comfortable for Obi wan as soon as he too had been tossed into their current prison, Anakin had only been in the cell for a few moments before footsteps announced the arrival of more guards. Between their arms hung the bleeding and broken form of Obi wan. Anakin's heart leapt into his throat and he had suddenly become more aware of his surroundings.

They had thrown Obi wan in to the cell almost on top of Anakin, who had to rush forward to catch his falling master and prevent any further injuries, he sure had a good deal at the moment. The sith spit had even left the electro cuffs on his fallen master so there was little Anakin could do to try and alleviate his discomfort. Nevertheless Anakin turned Obi wan onto his side until the rasping breathing improved, a quick scan of Obi wan had revealed a few suspected broken ribs, a definite broken nose and what was probably going to turn out to be a worse concussion than Anakin was experiencing.

Anakin glanced around the cell again searching for any weaknesses and finding none. It was an empty room, except for Anakin and Obi wan with very little light and it was so very cold! Where the door should be was simply a glowing red force field that had delivered a rather nasty electric shock when Anakin had gone looking for weaknesses.

The worst thing though for Anakin at this instant was how alone he felt, he had taken the usual calming presence of his master in his mind for granted and hadn't realised how much he relied on it until it was gone. Alone with his thoughts was not somewhere Anakin wanted to be, especially now staring down at what these monsters had done to HIS master. He recalled the fury he had experienced when witnessing the pummeling that Obi wan had been subject to take place. Anakin hadn't felt that amount of anger well up inside him in a very long time and it frightened him to death. He wasn't sure if he could control himself if an opportunity arose to punish these animals.

The one thought that made him guilty about his inner thoughts however was Obi wan, he knew his master would never want to see that from Anakin, ever. Anakin knew it was not the Jedi way to allow anger and emotions cloud one's judgement and control his actions. That didn't mean his hatred was gone however, just his need not to disappoint and disrespect his master's teachings outweighed all of Anakin's personal feelings. Anakin was pulled from his thoughts as he thought he heard some groaning coming from the floor

* * *

 _Everything hurts, every fibre of my being is burning_. _I don't want to come back to this pain, let me stay here_.

' _You know you can't do that Obi wan, the boy needs you and you him. This is the test that will strain your relationship to the point of breaking, the decisions you make over the coming days will decide the fate of billions.'_

Obi wan nearly jumped out of his skin. _Where did that voice come from? I'm cut off from the force aren't I?_ He mentally tried reaching out to something, anything and grimaced when yet again there was nothing to grasp in front of him. He could have sworn that was Qui gon's voice, _but that's impossible_. _I must have a concussion and am hearing things._ That was a much more logical solution and the one Obi wan decided to follow.

Obi wan did a quick mental note of the most injured areas of his body that were crying out for attention every time he flinched. _Ribs, chest, nose and head._ The head was definitely the worst at this present moment, it made focusing extremely difficult and everything seemed very fuzzy.

As Obi wan drifted more into consciousness he picked up on a presence nearby slightly shaking him trying to get his attention.

"Master, please wake up, I need you."

It was Anakin, the pleading tone in his voice made Obi wan react quickly, a mistake as it was far too quickly. He tried opening his eyes and sitting up all in one swift motion only to be hit by a dizzying wave of nausea strong enough that he nearly passed out again. He felt soothing hands lower him to the floor again and Obi wan scrunched up his eyes against the blazing light willing for the agony in his head to subside.

"Woah, woah slowly or you'll be sick. I know how your head feels right now you'll have to take this slowly". Anakin's voice that time was still dripping with uncertainty but his padawan was now obviously concerned about Obi wan causing more injury to himself.

Obi wan inhaled deep gulps of air and remained completely still until the ringing in his head and nauseating feeling subsided considerably. When he was ready he took steps slower this time. Slowly Obi wan peeled his eyes open one by one, blinking rapidly in the harsh light. _Force this still hurts…_

Eventually the blurriness of the room eased back and Obi wan could start to pick out shapes and things, he stared into his padawan's frightened eyes above him and decided it was time to try and ease Anakin's uneasiness.

"I'm okay, Ani, I promise." Obi wan's voice came out steadier than he had expected, he almost believed it himself. Of course the look from his padawan was one of scolding he hadn't believed a word!

"No you're not and it's all my fault. I've failed you on our first assignment I'm sorry." Anakin finished the sentence quietly in a dejected tone.

 _How can he think he failed? I couldn't have asked for more from him. He fought in battle and saved many lives._ Obi wan saw the sincerity in Anakin's face he truly does he believe this is all his fault. He always tries to take the universe on his shoulders and blames himself when things out of his control go wrong. Obi wan sighed and observed his padawan shifting in his seat obviously uncomfortable with the situation.

"I'm going to tell you something, Anakin, a mission that I went on with Qui gon which will hopefully show you have not failed anyone. Now help me up this is rather painful laying on my wrists." Obi wan finished adding a small smile to his features.

To his delight Anakin managed a meek smile in return, he was always hard to get through to when he had something in his head especially when he was assigning blame on himself. Anakin got hold of Obi wan's shoulders and slowly and excruciatingly helped Obi wan into an upright position, stopping when Obi wan found the pain too much when his ribs were jostled.

Eventually Obi wan was in an upright position leaning next to Anakin breathing heavily, trying to regain his balance. After a few moments, and when Obi wan didn't feel like he was going to be sick he began recalling a mission he had been on with his own master Qui gon when he too was a padawan of only a couple of years, things had not gone well on that mission either…

* * *

 _Obi wan was glued to the window of the transport, in awe at the sight of the planet's untouched beauty fly past beneath them. He and his master Qui gon Jinn had been dispatched to the planet of Nubia to investigate murmurings of rebel factions plans to take over the government._

 _Qui gon and Obi wan had been dispatched by the Jedi council three days earlier when the request came down through official channels. Nubia was a core world and therefore had good relations and support in the senate, when they pleaded for help over their problems the Jedi were quickly informed. Qui gon and Obi wan had spent the first days on the luscious planet talking with government officials and researching the claims of rebel factions operating on the surface. Obi wan had tried to blend in with the kids in the capital city, he listened out for any intel or rumours he could find whilst Qui gon remained with the officials pouring over their planet's history._

 _This was usually the way mission's went of these nature, Qui gon always stood out immediately as a Jedi and had trouble going 'under cover' to obtain intelligence. This left that part of the assignment to Obi wan, who at the tender age of 14 found it incredibly easy to fit into most civilisations they had come across and usually gathered crucial information from the unsuspecting population._

 _This particular time was not any different, after just over two days of fitting in and listening in on any conversation he could, Obi wan had overheard the location of the rebel base. Well location was being a bit precise, he had overheard the rough area, among the mountain ranges outside the city limits. This still left a lot of ground to cover but from the mutterings Obi wan had overheard the rebels intended to attack the city soon and take control of the planet, so he and Qui gon had acquired a transport and were currently heading to the mountain ranges at speed._

 _Nubia was a fairly peaceful world, there was no official army only security droids who kept the peace on the streets. The Nubian officials were quite rightly terrified over the thought of an attack, they didn't have much to defend themselves with, their way of life was in the hands of Obi wan and Qui gon now. Obi wan often felt overwhelmed in moments like these, lull points between action time to reflect on what was to come next._

 _From the undercover work Obi wan had carried out he was no closer to finding out the reason of rebel uprising, surely there must be something wrong with the way things were now if so many wanted to cause harm to change it? When Obi wan had voiced his concerns with his master who had looked at him in a very odd way his eyes haunted with unforgettable horrors, he remembered squirming under that stare foreseeing the arrival of a long lecture. Qui gon had explained it was not the Jedi's business to interfere in a planet's governmental system especially when they were elected officials of the senate, unless there was obvious abuse of their position that neither of them had seen any evidence of._

 _Qui gon then proceeded to caution Obi wan on the matter of listening to just one side of the problem and not looking at it as a whole. He explained to Obi wan that he had automatically thought that something must be wrong with the government and it was unjust as there were a lot of people fighting it, he hadn't considered that the rebels weren't just power hungry and wanted chaos._

 _Obi wan found this hard to consider and his masters gaze had softened and told him not to worry he was still very young and hadn't had the experience Qui gon had. Obi wan continued to try and see the good in people, the look in Qui gons eyes alarmed him, what could his master have seen that would make him hard to the world. With an affectionate ruffling of his hair Qui gon had retreated to prepare for their arrival leaving Obi wan to ponder over the events of his conversation with his master._

 _Perhaps Obi wan was viewing the problem from one side he had to learn, as Qui gon had, to be more objective with situations involving two different points of views. Obi wan understood that even though the rebels may have a point and were fighting for their beliefs they were going about it the wrong way, it had all changed when they had threatened civilian lives. Obi wan then had realised why Qui gon had looked at him in such a pained way, he had obviously seen the effect of rebel attacks before and had witnessed the atrocities that had happened in the wake of the onslaught. Obi wan conceived nothing good would come from the rebels attacking, if they really weren't happy with the way things were being run then they should go to the senate not resort to violence._

 _It wasn't long before the transport landed on a flat plane of land as close to the mountain ranges that they could land on. Qui gon and Obi wan descended the ramp and started towards the range in front of them. The view of the terrain surrounding the Jedi was stunning, mountains towered all around them shooting upwards at an alarming rate. Each mountain side was peppered with what could only be described as a small forest, no wonder why ariel images of the planet hadn't picked any activity up, some of these areas were so dense that no satellite could have penetrated them._

 _"We'll split up when we get to the base of the mountains and explore the surrounding area. Give priority to the heavily forested areas low down the range, they would want to stay hidden but still be accessible." Qui gon instructed as they trudged forwards._

 _"Yes, Master."_

 _"And stay in communication, these people are dangerous Obi wan don't underestimate them and don't try and apprehend them without my assistance."_

 _Obi wan angered at that remark, he wasn't a child anymore! Yet Qui gon continued to treat him as one, it was as if he didn't trust him enough to fulfil the mission yet he had showed his master what he could do! At Qui gon's raised eyebrows Obi wan released his anger into the force and braced himself for the task ahead._

 _"I understand, Master, I will stay in contact." Obi wan finally acknowledged after he was sure no trace of anger would seep into his tone._

 _"May the force be with you, my young Padawan."_

Obi wan returned the farewell and wandered off in the opposite direction to his master, he thought he heard a faint whisper from behind him but he wasn't sure, it had instructed him to stay safe.

 _Obi wan had been searching for any clue any lead that might have indicated the presence of a rebel base, so far nothing. The only sounds he had heard were emanating from the animals native to the planet. It must have been four or five hours now since he had departed company with his master. They had continued to check in once an hour and update each other of their progress in the search, which on both ends was fruitless._

 _Just as Obi wan was going to check in with his master for the 5th time that day did he hear a twig snap from somewhere behind him to his right. Whirling with an immense speed he caught a glimpse of a human sprinting off in the opposite direction to Obi wan._

 _Bringing the communicator to his mouth Obi wan started off after the assailant determined not to lose him, force he was fast._

 _"Master, I've spotted a suspect he vaulted away when he caught sight of me I'm in pursuit heading toward the east side of the range I'm approximately 2000 metres up."_

 _Obi wan pocketed the communicator and grabbed his light saber, he faintly heard his master instructing him to cease pursuit and wait for Qui gon. Obi wan knew his master would demand this of him so he pretended he hadn't heard anything and increased his speed towards the fleeing suspect, abolishing any anger he had at Qui gon's blatant distrust of Obi wan being able to deal with one man. If he had waited their only lead would be gone! They had known the rebels were planning an attack imminently Obi was determined to stop the attack before innocents got hurt._

 _Suddenly in a clearing up ahead the man stopped; bending over taking in huge gasps of breath. Obi wan had him just where he wanted him! Now he could get some answers and really impress his master. The man in front of him had no visible weapon but that didn't mean he wasn't hiding it somewhere._

 _"Put your hands where I can see them!" Obi wan started holding out his light saber, he was so intent on the being in front of him he didn't sense the danger around. Qui gon called it tunnel vision, it had gotten Obi wan into trouble numerous times before and this time was no different._

 _With a smirk the man in front of him glanced to behind Obi wan and nodded his head. This was when he realised he had run directly into a trap, spinning round he was surrounded by a large group of men all pointing blasters in his direction, that was when the firing started and he heard the assailant behind him scramble out of the line of fire._

 _Obi wan thought he heard his panicked master's voice over the comlink in his pocket demanding his location, he wished he could answer it but in truth the constant barrage of attacks coming from the men in front of him were filling his entire concentration. He was quite sure Qui gon would hear this racket and would be able to pinpoint the location by sound alone. Obi wan had never had so many attacks to dodge at once and he could feel his defence slowly breaking down. His arms ached with the constant swinging as he was forced to deflect but Obi wan tapped into the force warning him of each bolt and where to be to avoid injury._

 _There it was, the one bolt he knew he had missed just a microsecond before it blasted into his right shoulder. Staggering backwards Obi wan fought to stay on his feet, his felt his light saber slip from his grip as the shock and pain radiated down his arm towards his hand. He then realised the shooting had stopped, glancing upwards all the blasters were still pointed at him but the men had stopped firing._

 _Suddenly an extensive warning of danger screamed at Obi wan through the force, before he could ascertain the location of the threat a colossal force slammed into the back of his head sending him sprawling towards the ground at alarming speed. The man behind! Obi wan had been so stupid, no wonder why Qui gon didn't trust him to deal with the situation… As he hit the ground a scream erupted from his lips as his just injured shoulder slammed into the hard ground sending more burning all up his arm._

 _Seeing stars Obi wan struggled to focus on anything, he felt as though he would pass out at any minute, only reaching out for the force to lessen the ferocity of the pain in his head stopped that. Obi wan felt rough hands searching his body, finding his comlink and tossing it away. His hands were roughly pulled behind his back and rope was wound thickly around Obi wan's wrists._

 _Still dazed Obi wan started to struggle only to have the butt of a blaster press against the back of his neck, how could he have been so stupid Qui gon was going to be so mad at him!_

 _"Quickly we have to prepare for the other Jedi he's on his way here now."_

 _Obi wan heard his captors vaguely discussing the imminent arrival of Qui gon, they were going to use him against his master! Before he could give the matter anymore thought he was hauled up onto his feet and spun around to face the man he was chasing originally. He had to fight extremely hard to not throw up the contents of his stomach, Obi wan's vision was blurry and he had trouble staying up right this was definitely the effects of concussion._

 _"You won't get away with this…"_

 _Before Obi wan could say any more on the matter he was on his knees again, the man had hit him so hard in the jaw that Obi wan tasted blood and a tooth loose in his mouth. Spitting out some blood he looked up defiantly at the rebel that towered above him trying desperately to focus his eyes, that punch had not helped matters with the concussion._

 _Suddenly the atmosphere around him changed, Obi wan was yanked to his feet once again by the rebel and spun around to face the new comer, Qui gon. Trying desperately to focus on his master's image he felt himself close to passing out again, that was until an arm snaked around his neck and he felt his airway being restricted as the offending item tightened its hold._

 _Obi wan heard the familiar sound of a light saber being activated but looking in his master's direction confirmed he already has saber activated, that's when the arm surrounding Obi wan's neck disappeared for a second before it was replaced with his own lit light saber! Obi wan could feel the heat of the weapon that was ever so close to his neck, uncomfortable enough to make him recoil away as much as he could from the deadly weapon._

 _His attention was brought back to his master as he started forward slightly, murder in his eyes. Obi wan hadn't seen Qui gon lose control as much as he was doing so now, the pure anger exuding from his master was, well startling it was purely directed at the man that now held a light saber to Obi wan's throat. Abruptly the weapon was inched closer to his skin where it singed the surface, Obi wan couldn't help but yelp out in pain, the light saber was detracted back to the previous position._

 _"Stay there, Jedi! Or I will separate your apprentice's head from his shoulders." Obi wan mentally recoiled as he felt the hot sticky breath of his captor brush against his neck as he sneered the latest command._

 _Obi wan watched as Qui gon halted in his advance, worried fearful eyes staring into Obi wan's own. He observed qui gon's eyes travelling over his body, assessing for injuries, scowling slightly as he caught sight of the blaster wound and blood trickling down Obi wan's jawline. Obi wan felt reassurance rushing across their bond along with what felt like healing energies, which had been steadily growing over their year together. They hadn't quite mastered telepathic communication yet but were getting better at detecting how the other felt and could of course detect what was on each other's minds, well to an extent anyway._

 _His master's attention averted back to Obi wan's captor, his eyes turning to stone, the hand gripping his weapon twitching slightly. Anyone could tell Qui gon was livid, the men surrounding them targeting their blasters at the Jedi seemed to sense how dangerous this man was and shifted backwards a few steps._

 _"If you do not release my padawan immediately you will feel the full weight of the Jedi bare down on you!" Qui gon growled menacingly, struggling to control his fury._

 _This didn't faze Obi wan's captor in the slightest as he felt his grip strengthen on Obi wan's frame._

 _"No, you listen hear, Jedi. We are the ones in control of this situation, you cannot save your apprentice if you try and attack us I will slice through his neck faster than you can get to me. And as for the Jedi more support is at least a day's travel away. Do you think we did not do our homework when you interfered in the city?"_

 _Qui gon's demeanour changed slightly, they had planned to trap the Jedi as soon as they had been spotted in the city. It made sense really, they were the only ones capable of stopping the rebels impending attack. Obi wan felt guilty, it consumed his body as the ramifications of he and Qui gon being taken out of action would have on the inhabitants of the city. They were relying on the Jedi to save them and because of Obi wan's reckless actions that was not likely to happen._

 _"Master, don't worry about…"_

 _What Obi wan was going to say next was lost as the light saber moved down in a blur of speed to his chest and was pressed viciously against his skin scorching a few centimetres in depth across the width of his body. Blazing pain engulfed Obi wan's form as the light saber was pulled away as though it was never there, but the scream that erupted from his throat said otherwise. Obi wan had never felt any agony like it, all the burned nerves cried out at once. Hanging his head against his chest he breathed in long deep breaths trying desperately to stay upright._

 _The only thing keeping him on his feet was the tightening of the hold of the assailant behind him, he had a new desire to give into unconsciousness as the agony somehow seemed to increase. Obi wan thought he heard someone yelling that sounded vaguely like Qui gon, scrunching up his eyes he desperately reached out for the force, looking for anything to help ease the pain radiating through every nerve in his body._

 _"Stop!" Qui gon screamed, concern flooding his voice along with disparity. He had instinctively moved towards Obi wan as the boys haggard scream bore through to his very soul, he forced himself to stop moving as every blaster snapped to his position and the light saber was swung back to Obi wan's throat._

 _Obi wan finally managed to control the pain he was feeling to the point where he could look up at his master again. He felt the healing energies his master was sending in earnest and was extremely grateful for it, he had never been in so much agony and the energy was just managing to take the edge off. He cried out again as his tunic was grabbed by the rebel which pulled at the newly burned skin._

 _"I've had enough Jedi surrender yourself now or I'll kill the boy and my men will kill you." The tone was commanding offering no room to maneuver for Qui gon._

 _Obi wan didn't want to be the reason that his master gave up his weapon, he didn't want that burden and wished for Qui gon to just go and help the people of the city. The thought was quickly quashed as he felt Qui gon's concern over the bond well up inside him, he detected Qui gon open up his mind and what he saw scared him, inside was intense anger for the man holding Obi wan, an anger he had never felt or saw from anyone before. He also sensed intense panic and concern over Obi wan's condition, he must have looked a complete mess…_

 _Obi wan saw the conflict inside Qui gon end pretty quickly he was going to give himself up, Obi wan could tell as his master's gaze met his own he couldn't bare to see Obi wan killed. If he was honest with himself he didn't think he would be able to walk away if Qui gon was in his position, 'he wouldn't be though this is my stupid fault.'_

 _Qui gon never broke his eye contact with Obi wan as he disengaged his light saber and let his arm sag down to hang limply by his side. Hordes of rebels started forwards and restrained his master, Qui gon didn't resist as his hands were tied ferociously behind his back. Obi wan expected to see or feel disappointment emanating from his master but found no trace at all. Why was he not angry at Obi wan? He only saw concern and felt Qui gon's reassurance filter through the bond._

 _That was Obi wan's last conscious memory on the mountain side as once again he was whacked at the base of his skull and fell forward into oblivion._

* * *

 _When Obi wan awoke it was in a dingy room that smelt of damp and smelt like dirt. The ground was cold and dark beneath him and gave some relief to the throbbing pain in his head, the rope that was around his wrists had been undone at some point as his hands were now tied in front of him, which was far more agreeable. Moving his head up to look around was his mistake, agony ripped through him as the clothing burned into his skin on his chest pulled on the still raw nerves. A cry escaped his lips as the pain did not subside._

 _Soon a figure moved into Obi wan's view kneeling down trying to offer some comfort, his master also had his bound in front of him and Obi wan saw the anger that clouded Qui gon's mind earlier had dissipated now there was guilt. 'Why does he feel guilty about me? This is all my fault.'_

 _"Woah easy, Obi, try not to move your clothes have been seared into your skin. I tried to heal as much as I could but light saber wounds need bacta, the skin will need reknitting and offensive fragments removed first. I know how much it hurts trust me just stay still the pain will subside in a minute."_

 _Obi wan didn't trust himself to talk for a few minutes, he closed his eyes when he saw spots dancing in his vision, he felt a firm grip take hold of his hand and he squeezed until the pain started to lessen._

 _When he opened his eyes again he gazed up into his master's face, no he definitely wasn't angry his face usually a stoic mask was schooled into the expression of compassion._

 _"I'm so sorry, Master, you should have got out of there. What's the city going to do now?" Obi wan babbled his voice cracking as he continued to spill out the thoughts he had back on the mountain range._

 _"Hush, Padawan, this is not your fault it is mine and I am so sorry." Qui gon bowed his head as he spoke the last words._

 _Obi wan was very confused 'why did Qui gon think it was his fault?'_

 _"I am responsible for your safety, Obi wan, as well as the citizens of the galaxy, and I failed you. I didn't assess the situation fully enough, I should have noticed the rebels observing us in the city, they set a trap and I made it possible by splitting us up." Qui gon finished dejectedly._

 _"But master it's all my fault! I shouldn't have run after the assailant on my own, I thought I had to prove to you I could handle it as you always treat me like I'm still a child." Obi wan finished the sentence quietly he blamed the pain he was in for his loss of control over his own words._

 _Qui gon's face was a mixture of sorrow and shock, he sat there for some time as if struggling with what to say to his padawan next._

 _"Obi wan, you have nothing to be sorry for. It is I who owe you an apology. I fret over sending you into dangerous situations, not because I see you as a child and don't trust you, because of my own feelings. I couldn't stand to see you hurt, it nearly killed me inside when that karking sith spit had a light saber at your throat. And when he, when he…" Qui gon stopped at that his voice breaking and glanced down at Obi wan's chest._

 _Obi wan had never seen Qui gon this emotional before, this raw it was alarming him. He watched as Qui gon swallowed down tears and continued._

 _"I wanted nothing more than to slaughter him and all of his men for what they did to you."_

 _Obi wan could sense Qui gon's anger creep back into his voice, he never knew his master cared so much about him. They were close as any other padawan/master team but Qui gon wasn't the biggest fan of showing emotion, Obi wan had assumed that meant he didn't care for Obi wan like this, but from the look in his master's eyes now told him he had been so very wrong._

 _"And as for not trusting you Obi, I trust you with my life and am very proud of the man you are becoming. I am sorry for coming across that way, it is my fault that I need to work on, I'm afraid I don't know if there will ever come a time when I can send you off into danger without feeling the need to protect you even if I know you won't need it."_

 _Obi wan saw the words his master was saying was the truth, he did trust him. The weight on Obi wan's chest lifted slightly and the guilt eased back he could see what Qui gon was saying even if he didn't truly understand it. His master was responsible for him just as he was responsible for civilian lives, Obi wan hoped one day he would have a close relationship with a padawan of his own and he might just understand what Qui gon was trying to explain to him._

 _"But it's still down to me that we won't be able to stop these rebels from attacking the city. They're ruthless they will hurt so many! You should have let them kill me to save the city." Obi wan exclaimed, nothing Qui gon could say would stop him believing he had doomed these people._

 _"What makes you think we won't stop them, my young Padawan?" Qui gon glanced down at Obi wan a small twinkle of hope in his eyes._

 _"I've told you time and time again to trust in the force Obi wan, the force told me to trust in the events unfolding. Granted I did find that almost impossible as I saw the pain you were in, the force works in mysterious ways and we have to keep faith in it. It was pushing me to give myself up and now we are in the rebel base. We may never have found this place Obi not in time anyway." Qui gon finished._

 _Obi wan couldn't believe his master's trust in the force was that strong, he had faith but this was just crazy!_

 _"But you're forgetting one thing master, we're prisoners and have no hope of getting out of here, I can't even move!"_

 _"My young Padawan, technicalities are not what I need to hear right now," his master chided._

 _"We will escape from this cell, it may have to take some time but we will and then we will save the city. And I can help alleviate your injuries enough so you can walk, the people of this planet need us Obi wan and we will help of that I am certain."_

 _How could his master be so confident? How could he know what would happen before it happened? As if Qui gon had read Obi wan's mind he replied with just two words that infuriated Obi wan as his master thought it was an acceptable answer that would explain everything._

 _"The force."_

 _True to his word, Qui gon had helped Obi wan heal and hour by agonising hour he had been able to walk again. Sometime later they had gotten out of their cell and stopped the rebel's attack on the city just in time. It turned out they had acquired some air projectiles and were planning on taking out populated areas in the capital to stretch resources thin, and then attack on foot aiming to take control of the entire planet. So many hundreds of innocents would have most definitely died, Obi wan's faith in the force had more than just wavered over the course of their captivity. But as he looked up at the battered face of his master he finally understood, all of what they went through was worth this, worth saving all these innocent people._

 _Qui gon had foreseen this and went about keeping Obi wan's faith up even in the direst of moments, it was the will of the force for them to be at this point at this time to stop the heinous attack. Obi wan just wished they hadn't had to go through what they had this time but it was their duty as Jedi to push through and prevail for the sake of the people they swore to protect._

* * *

 **So hope you enjoyed this instalment, I am currently tweaking the next chapter so it should be up pretty soon**


	7. Chapter 7

**So here's the next instalment enjoy!**

* * *

When Obi wan had finished retelling the tale Anakin looked a little more at peace with his role in their current situation. He didn't need to tell Anakin about what else happened whilst they were imprisoned, the boy didn't need to hear that, the memory even made Obi wan shudder all these years later. Obi wan could sense that Anakin still blamed himself for something though, this boy was so stubborn!

It wasn't until Obi wan had taken Anakin on as a padawan and the boy got himself into danger that Obi wan finally understood Qui gon's actions and his 'untrusting' behaviour was simply masking his worry. Obi wan now did the exact same with Anakin and chuckled when he too thought he was invincible, _oh force I was so naive in those days, I couldn't see through my own pride to notice Qui gon's actions were out of affection and he was just being protective of me._ Obi wan understood that completely now, he loathed putting Anakin into dangerous situations no matter whether Anakin was ready or not Obi wan wasn't and he didn't think he ever would be at ease with it.

"You see, Anakin, I made far more mistakes than you did and that wasn't my first mission either! You have performed exceedingly well the time we have been together on this assignment and kept your cool in battle. No one could have known what would happen on this mission and you have handled yourself far better than I ever would have done at your age. We don't know how the force works but these things happen for a reason we have to trust that we can change things for the better and we have to be here now for that to happen."

Anakin noticed his master staring at him, waiting on his response. Anakin didn't know what to say, he understood what Obi wan was trying to convey to him but it didn't change the fact that Anakin had rushed into that room without thinking and got himself captured. He blamed himself for Obi wan's current condition as he had given himself up to save Anakin, he hung his head low ashamed of his actions.

"Anakin, I want you to look at me," Obi wan demanded, he could see he was losing Anakin.

Waiting until Anakin's blue eyes met his to continue, he saw immense shame emanating from every fibre of his padawan's body. It broke Obi wan's heart.

"I could not have wished for a better apprentice, I am immensely proud of you Anakin." Obi wan's voice cracked the more he spoke.

 _How can he not realise how proud I am of him? I don't acknowledge him enough this is my fault he feels so insecure._ Obi wan had felt the same with Qui gon every time he seemingly treated him as though he was a child, it wasn't until Qui gon had revealed his true fear to Obi wan in that cell that Obi wan had started to understand Qui gon was worried about his safety it was his flaw not Obi wan's.

Something visibly clicked in Anakin, Obi wan observed as his face was now plastered in shock. _He really didn't realise how much I care, I will never let him feel that way again_.

Anakin looked up as Obi wan demanded him to, when he gazed upon his master's blood covered face his heart broke all over again, how could his master ever forgive him when Anakin had caused all this!

The next words that came tumbling out of Obi wan's lips both shocked and surprised Anakin. He could see the sincerity and love pouring out from Obi wan as he told him how proud of him he was. Anakin never knew his master had these feelings about his training, they always got along together fine but this was Obi wan baring his soul to Anakin and it changed everything. _He really means it._ Anakin felt guilty all over again but this time for thinking Obi wan wan't proud of his progress, Anakin could see his master cared about him just as much as Anakin cared about Obi wan. Anakin then saw a way forward, they would get through this ordeal as a team.

Obi wan nearly fell backwards when Anakin practically leaped on him in a bone crushing embrace. He really didn't want to break the moment but his ribs were screaming in agony and he couldn't breathe. With a strangled cough his padawan got the message quickly and released Obi wan's body so he could breathe again.

"Sorry! I forgot and and…"

"No harm done, Anakin, I'm so very sorry I never conveyed my pride in your ability before now. You know how truly awful I am when expressing feelings." Obi wan smiled as Anakin slowly started to come alive again before him.

"Yes I know you seem to be grumpy all the time." Anakin beamed chiding Obi wan slightly.

"Grumpy?! Oh I see it's pick on Obi wan time now, is it?" Obi wan replied plastered a mock look of hurt on his face.

He was so relieved that Anakin was becoming more like himself again, this mission was already testing their relationship as padawan and master to the extreme, it was Obi wan's duty to keep Anakin in high spirits. Anakin smiled and leaned in to Obi wan resting his head on the older mans shoulder.

"You really don't blame me for getting us into this?" Anakin asked again, although the sorrow in his voice had dropped back dramatically.

Obi wan looked down at Anakin to reply, his eyes full of sincerity.

"Of course not, my young padawan, I should be the one apologising for not seeing the trap sooner. Someone somewhere has planned this entire operation intricately, they took advantage of your good heart, Ani, that's nothing to be ashamed of. All you do is want to help people, you just sometimes need to think things through before acting selflessly but I know that's hard for you. I should have seen it all so much sooner and warned you of the danger. I'm sorry you got hurt Anakin."

Obi wan thought back to the fateful mission where he and Qui gon had gotten themselves in deep. When they were in the cell and Qui gon had tried explaining to Obi wan it was his fault not Obi wan's he had felt dubious as Anakin did now. Obi wan understood what Qui gon was feeling, the immense guilt for not being able to keep his padawan from harm. What Anakin had gone through was nothing compared to what he had been subjected to on that mission, Obi wan was surprised how Qui gon had contained his anger. He never thought he could feel more angry as he watched Anakin be hit but Qui gon had seen far worse, it explained why Qui gon nearly lost control now he thought about it. If Anakin had been sliced with a light saber Obi wan didn't think he would have had Qui gon's control, which in hindsight probably wouldn't have been a good thing and they would have both ended up dead.

In some ways he felt his and Anakin's bond was now stronger than he and Qui gon's, Obi wan loved Qui gon like a father but he was difficult to bond with emotionally.

That was his dear old master's problem in ways, in that cell though Obi wan saw a different side of Qui gon that changed their bond for the better. Obi wan was sure that even though it wasn't the best situation he and Anakin were in right now, there bond too had somewhat changed. Anakin understood the pride from his master and they had both opened up to one another, Obi wan was never as close to the force as Qui gon was so couldn't foresee why the force wanted them here.

But he had to believe in the force, just as Qui gon had in that cell, when they were broken down by their captors his faith never wavered. Now Obi wan too had to trust in the force and show Anakin how to as well.

He couldn't believe he had done the same thing as Qui gon had! He hadn't showed his appreciation of Anakin and as a result the boy thought he was unworthy, force Obi wan knew that feeling. At least he had the chance to resolve that before it fledged into anything else inside his young charge, being a master was extremely difficult. Qui gon had made it look so easy at times…

Anakin stared up at his master's battered face, it too was etched with guilt. It was obvious they both harboured blame for the situation and as the master Obi wan blamed himself for not being able to stop Anakin for being injured. _Why couldn't he take his own advice?_

Anakin smiled knowingly at Obi wan who looked confusingly at his padawan for some time.

"What?" Obi wan asked frustratingly it was annoying not being able to look into Anakin's thoughts.

"You should take your own advice master, if I shouldn't feel guilty about this whole mess then neither should you." Anakin finished the sentence with his eyebrows raised.

Obi wan smiled, his padawan was becoming more perceptive by the day.

"Very well, lets both agree to not feel guilty over this matter any longer and stop feeling sorry for ourselves. We need to plan our next move." Obi wan replied surprised it had taken him this long to release his guilt, but it was hard he was reminded it of every time he looked at Anakin's damaged face.

"Deal, and I'm not as hurt as you your face is a complete mess!" Anakin laughed as Obi wan gave him an incredulous look.

"Oh great, so I've been beaten up tied up and now I'm being bullied by my apprentice over my appearance, I get it I won't be winning any beauty contests anytime soon." Obi wan smiled back enjoying the banter between them again.

"Soon? Don't you mean never?" Anakin burst out laughing at his master's hurt look over the comment.

If Obi wan's hands were free he would have smacked Anakin over the head all he could do in his current predicament was stare daggers at his apprentice. The mask of anger quickly washed off Anakin's laughter was infectious and he couldn't keep up the pretence any longer and quickly joined in with his apprentice's giggling.

"Why do I put up with such insolence." Obi wan sighed in jest as their laughing subsided.

"Because you love me too much!" Anakin replied jokingly, but the look he got from his master told him he'd hit the nail on the head. Obi wan loved and cared for him as much as his own mother had when he was growing up. Anakin never wanted to lose this, ever.

A content silence fell between the pair as a new understanding was reached in their relationship as master and apprentice.

* * *

Obi wan broke the silence after some time, intent on finding out more information to get out of their predicament.

"Have you looked for any weaknesses in the structure? I can't sense anything with this damned force inhibitor they've given me" Obi wan finished in a miffed tone.

Anakin couldn't imagine what it would be like to have the force ripped away from your mind, he thought he felt empty without sensing Obi wan. But imagine sensing nothing, it would be like losing all your senses at once. Anakin hoped he never experienced it, the force was the only thing keeping him grounded now his master wasn't there to anchor his feelings.

"Yes master, I've checked all the gaps around the door and the force field and was rewarded with quite a nasty electric shock" Anakin replied, annoyed he couldn't relay more favourable news.

Obi wan huffed, it was expected really. These pirates were obviously professionals and were very well funded, they knew how to contain Jedi, _very well_. It was clear they weren't breaking out the cell just at the moment with Obi wan in his current state and no weapons, so the next question was who was this mysterious employer Skepaf mentioned earlier…

It seemed Anakin's mind had drifted to the same thoughts as he enquired about the exact same question.

"Master who do you think could have done this?"

Obi wan noticed the worry had left his padawan now, _good he's focussed on the problem, our talk helped_. Obi wan wouldn't have wanted to try and execute an escape plan with a brooding apprentice, and if he was honest he also had held onto more guilt than he had realised. They had both helped each other get over their respective harbouring of guilt over the situation, Obi wan realised his head was a lot clearer because of it. He now had time to think things over.

"I don't know Anakin, they were targeting us specifically not just any old Jedi team. Skepaf knew my name." Obi wan wasn't sure if that particular piece of information was worrying or not.

He and Qui gon had made a fair few enemies along their travels who all held grudges. But that was years ago and most of those criminals were either dead or in prison somewhere, It didn't seem like an old grievance to Obi wan but he couldn't place the feeling he was having. It was difficult without the force, he kept instinctively reached out to grasp out to it to aid him in his thought process but there was still just an empty void in front of him.

He glanced down at Anakin who was also deep in thought, he seemed to be struggling to grasp an answer too. Obi wan suddenly had an idea, he had never met anyone with such a strong force presence as Anakin, as Obi wan couldn't search the force for the answer maybe he could instruct Anakin how to.

"Anakin I'm going to try and teach you a way to move outward in the force without your physical body, it's very difficult to master and takes most Jedi years of practise. But I have never met anyone with a force count as high as yours, it's like its physically part of you, will you try for us?" Obi wan knew he was pushing the boy far beyond what he should but they needed more intelligence and seeing as Obi wan couldn't access the force right now this was their only hope.

Obi wan could see Anakin taking in the information, gone was the boy before him and in his place sat a well balanced Jedi who understood the importance of the task ahead. It forever surprised him how grown up Anakin seemed sometimes, he carried a heavy burden on his shoulders and when it mattered, truly mattered, he fulfilled everything he was promised to.

Anakin listened as Obi wan asked what could be the impossible of him, he had never been that in tune with the force the way Obi wan was describing, as he looked up at his master though all he saw was immense pride at his padawan. _If he believes I can do this then I must._ Anakin knew his master wouldn't ask this of him if it wasn't important, Anakin steeled himself and nodded his head preparing for the task ahead.

"I can do this master." He was pleased to hear his voice was so steady, it sounded more mature than it had any right to be.

Obi wan smiled before he answered, this was going to be tricky without his own access to the force.

"I know you can Ani, Now this is going to take all of your concentration. It would be best if you were in the meditation position to help you get into the right frame of mind."

Obi wan knew Anakin wouldn't be able to complete the complex manipulation of the force until he had let every thought leave his mind, every feeling had to be let go. Which was damn near impossible under the circumstances, he believed in his padawan's ability though. Waiting until Anakin had assumed the position and closed his eyes Obi wan continued.

"You need to let go of all feelings all emotions, you will be leaving your body to be in the force I will act as your anchor so you can find your way back. Now what I want you to do is imagine yourself floating upwards, let everything go and leave your body behind and sink into the force, feel it run through your mind and follow it out."

Obi wan stopped talking, Anakin needed quiet to complete this task. He hated not being able to help this was potentially dangerous if Anakin got lost in the force… It was very disorientating the first time achieved, like nothing else Obi wan had ever experienced. He observed as Anakin released the last of his emotions and he seemed to go rigid, it was difficult to tell without the use of the force but Obi wan's breath hitched in his throat none the less. _Anakin had done it! first time!_ His padawan never stopped amazing him with his connection and ability to harness the force, it truly was a magical thing to watch.

Suddenly Anakin gasped and his eyes shot open looking around in panic.

"Woah Anakin it's okay you're okay, what happened?" Obi wan remembered the feeling that he had experienced when he first completed leaving his own body it was very shocking, and he had asked this of a 14 year old boy Obi wan wondered if he had taken things too far.

Anakin's head snapped up he had heard Obi wan's thoughts, he could see the concern in his master's watchful eye.

"I'm fine master don't worry, that was incredible I was actually with the force, like I was in the room looking down on myself it was epic!" Anakin proclaimed positively beaming from the experience.

He detected his master's worry start to dissipate and he too smiled back at his padawan.

"Anakin do you realise how difficult that is for a seasoned master to accomplish when in normal conditions? You should be very proud of yourself, I know that I am." His master grinned back.

Anakin didn't have to go looking to see if his master really was proud of him, it was etched into every feature on his face. Anakin steeled himself and mentally prepared to try again, now he knew what to expect he could try and find somewhere else on the ship and search for information or a weakness they could exploit.

"Are you ready Anakin? When you feel yourself leave this time I want you to drift outwards towards the door, let the force do the work it will feel natural trust me. Look for Skepaf and try and take in as many details as possible, this will be quite taxing on you so we don't want to be doing this multiple times" Obi wan instructed Anakin and waited for the boy to once again close his eyes and let everything go.

* * *

This time when Anakin drifted upwards out of his body he didn't feel the same shock as the first time, it was weirder than anything he had ever experienced but it was wizard! With one last look at Obi wan he drifted towards the exit and passed straight through the force field. Obi wan had been right as soon as he thought where he wanted to go the force seemed to move with him and there he went.

Gliding along the long corridor Anakin noted a lone guard posted, there was no sign of anyone else the pirates obviously thought the cell would contain them. _Focus Anakin!_ He chided himself and started forward again coming to a fork in the road.

Something in the force was instructing Anakin to head right so that's exactly what he did, Anakin was always amazed with his ability to harness the force before but this was something else entirely. It was like he was the force, it flowed through his body as if sustaining it.

He took in every detail of the journey, noting the shift patterns of the guards, the various twists and turns of the corridors and tried to map out the layout of the ship in his head. Suddenly he heard a voice that made his blood run cold, it nearly made him lose control and Anakin realised now why Obi wan had said this was dangerous, he had to stay neutral.

Preparing himself he started forwards towards the voice of Skepaf. Passing through the door felt strange Anakin's mind was still in the state of thinking he couldn't pass through matter, but the force could it was everywhere.

Glancing around the room Anakin realised he must have stumbled upon Skepaf's personal quarters, he seemed to glance around as Anakin had come through the door. He was staring right at him! _Oh force he can't see me can he?_

Anakin's thoughts were squashed when Skepaf shrugged and carried on with his business, _Of course he can't see me I'm not here!_ Anakin scolded himself mentally and started forwards again taking in the surroundings before him.

Skepaf looked almost normal in this setting, the anger Anakin had seen on the other ship was gone, he was a business man Anakin realised none of this was personal. He and Obi wan may be able to use that if they played the man right. He also had a look of anxiousness plastered across his face, _Why was he so nervous?_

The reason became quickly apparent as a terminal beeped off to Anakin's left he turned as Skepaf rushed through him and plopped himself down at the desk accepting the incoming communication. _The employer_. Anakin moved forwards maybe he could take in enough detail that Obi wan would know who this mysterious being would be.

The screen flickered to life and Anakin studied the image of the man in front of him, he didn't recognise him but darkness seemed to fill the air around him making him feel cold so very cold.

"Do you have them?" The baritone voice drifted into the room, cold, void of any emotion.

"Yes, yes we have them. They're secured in the hold now." Skepaf's voice was laced with fear, this mysterious man obviously meant business and didn't allow for any babbling.

"Good, good. I trust you are on your way to the exchange point?" Anakin was pretty sure the man didn't feel those words as they passed across his lips but Skepaf didn't seem to notice.

It was time to get a closer look at this employer, Anakin moved forward to hover over Skepaf's shoulder and tried to take in every detail he could about the man on the image before him.

He was older than Anakin had expected, with grey hair covering his head, cold dead eyes turned towards him and narrowed as the man before Anakin seemed to look right at him. _He can't see me, he can't see me_. Anakin repeated to himself as he felt the sudden urge to back away.

Out of the corner of his eye Anakin saw Skepaf look in his direction too and looking very confused when he saw nothing there. The man did not break his contact with Anakin and that made him no longer sure that the man couldn't see him.

"Is there something wrong?" Skepaf panicked voice drifted out across the air.

"Nothing I can't solve." The man grinned and with that Anakin felt a massive wave of energy consolidate around him and before he could figure out what was happening he was hurtling out of the room back towards the hold.

He tried desperately to control his spinning form but the force wasn't responding, Anakin panicked he couldn't direct where he was going and felt himself spin more out of control, darkness was all around him. That was when Anakin remembered what Obi wan had said " _use him as an anchor"_. Anakin could have sworn that wasn't his voice but didn't think anymore about it as he reached out for Obi wan's signature, he felt so cold so engulfed in darkness.

It wasn't hard to find his master, he was a shining beacon of light, force or no force. He careered towards the source and soon found Obi wan, willing for the force to move into the direction of his body he essentially slammed back into.

* * *

Obi wan waited calmly not wanting to disturb Anakin he had been absorbed for quite some time now and Obi wan was beginning to worry Anakin had got lost somewhere, he knew how difficult it was to get back into the physical world sometimes especially for someone so young and only on his second go!

His questions were answered as he heard Anakin gasp and fall backwards as if in pain, worry seeped into Obi wan _What in force could have happened?_

"Anakin talk to me, are you okay?" Obi wan tried to snap Anakin out of whatever was going on and cursed himself for not having his hands free.

Anakin started to pick himself up off the floor and lean back against the wall, Obi wan noted the fear in his eyes, it consumed him. Obi wan's anxiety levels shot through the roof as he nervously waited for his padawan to answer him, he had to be delicate here the mind was a very fragile thing especially after what his padawan had just experienced. He noted Anakin feeling his own body as if to confirm he was really here and breathe a sigh of relief.

"I'm okay master, now I'm out of the darkness".

That was it Obi wan was positively alarmed now and leaned in towards Anakin, something very bad had happened during his apprentice's experience.

"Darkness? Anakin what happened?" Obi wan wanted nothing more than Anakin to tell him what had happened and quickly but realised he couldn't rush this. He could already hear Anakin's heart rate pounding from this distance.

"I was doing fine, I made my way along the corridor and started to take note of the layout of the place and the patrol patterns of some of the guards."

Obi wan waited on tender hooks as Anakin took a deep breath before he continued, whatever had happened had shaken his padawan.

"Then the force seemed to push me in one direction and it wasn't long before I was in Skepaf's personal quarters. Just as I was observing him the terminal in the room indicated he was receiving a communication."

"The employer?" Obi wan was starting to have a very bad feeling about the next part of Anakin's story.

Anakin nodded and continued, "Yes it was the employer they talked for a minute or two about Skepaf having us and then the man asked if we were heading to the rendezvous point. That's when I decided to get closer and get a better look at him hoping either I or you would recognise him if I could describe what he looked like." Anakin shivered as the next words poured out of his mouth.

"He looked right at me, like he could see me. Skepaf couldn't and asked what was wrong, the man said nothing he couldn't fix and thats when I felt darkness well up all around me in the force suffocating me. Then all of a sudden I was flying backwards, it felt as though I had been force pushed! I went tumbling out of control and started to panic I couldn't sense where I needed to be and thought I would get lost up there, darkness surrounded the force around me. It was only when a voice reminded me of you I used your force presence as an anchor and found my way back here."

"No that can't be…" Obi wan muttered, racking his brain for any other conclusion to the one staring him right in the face but none came to him. He had never heard of anything like it, but there was only thing that could be that powerful to see Anakin as he was in the force.

"What was it master? What just happened? I was so scared, I've never felt so much darkness before in my life" Anakin was very frightened and confused, he thought he was doing well and felt at one with the force in a way he never truly had before.

Then this darkness had crept up on him out of know where, and it had felt like he was physically shoved out of the force. It was so strong and full of evil that it made Anakin shiver again.

Obi wan looked down upon his young charge and wished he could pull him into a big hug, the boy had experienced something truly terrible and Obi wan felt horrible for putting him in that position. He did what he could and laid his head on the Anakin's head, it seemed to bring some comfort to Anakin and he latched onto Obi wan happy for the comfort he gave.

"I'm so sorry you had to experience that Ani, If I had known it would be that dangerous I would have never let you do it." Obi wan whispered quietly and Anakin huddled closer into him.

"No guilt remember?" Anakin's small voice drifted upwards, and Obi wan noticed the shaking in it had decreased, he was starting to take control of his emotions again.

"I remember padawan, I didn't think it would be so soon I would have to stick to that promise." Obi wan smiled down at Anakin who looked up meekly, his face was still ashen but he managed a weak smile he was slowly coming back to the light and Anakin's shivering had decreased. Obi wan wanted to believe that it was going to be okay but the facts were staring him straight in the face and Anakin deserved to understand the danger they were in.

"Only a very powerful force user could have done to you what just happened." Obi wan started, a look of apprehension and worry plastered onto his blood covered features.

"And that means we might be in big trouble…".

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 **The next chapter is turning out to be rather large so I will endeavour to have it up in about a weeks time as always your feedback is much appreciated!**

 **Until** **next time...**


	8. Chapter 8

**So as promised here is the next instalment! This chapter is the longest I've written as of yet and so took quite a bit of tweaking to get right! Thank you to everyone who has taken an interest in the story it really fuels my imaginative process and feedback is always useful.**

 **YumikoWantsCake - Thank you for taking the time to review it is very much appreciated :D Glad you are liking the story, Enjoy!**

 **Annie Walker - I'm glad you're enjoying things! All I will say is it won't be long now until you find out the employer's identity along with their plans for Obi wan and Anakin. Enjoy!**

* * *

Skepaf was horribly confused, communication with his employer was distressing at the best of times, let alone when he pulled things like this! It was as if the elderly man on the screen in front of him had seen somebody else in the room, yet when Skepaf had peered at the exact same point he saw just empty space. Not wanting to displease his already agitated employer Skepaf thought it best to move on from the subject entirely, he was not startled by many people that he had come across but this being irradiated darkness so intense that it sent shivers up his spine.

Coughing slightly until his employers dark unforgiving eyes were averted back to him he continued with his previous line of enquiry, preying to anyone that would listen to hold back the outrage and fury in the man.

"Yes we should arrive at the coordinates in four standard hours."

Skepaf's voice came off rather more shakingly than he would have liked, the past few minutes of this conversation had rattled him so, there was just something about this man…

The sooner this whole messy business was over the better, dealing with Jedi was not something Skepaf wanted to make a habit of. They were very dangerous and even harder to contain than capture in the first place, the two troublesome Jedi now situated in the hold of the ship were something to attest to that. They took out over half of the men he was given! If it weren't for that brat falling into their hands Skepaf was sure he wouldn't have two Jedi prisoners now, Kenobi would have sliced through each and every one of them had his apprentice's life not been threatened.

Skepaf shuddered with the memory of all the bodies on board the ship, he had heard legends of what Jedi were capable of but had never witnessed such ferocity and strength first hand. He knew one thing he would never deal with Jedi again, the only thing keeping him from dumping the two men below him and running to the far side of the galaxy was the substantial pay day that was awaiting him. Not to mention the wrath of his employer, somehow the man invoked more fear in him than any Jedi he had ever met. It was the eyes, those piercing eyes that seemed to look into Skepaf's very soul. Trembling Skepaf steeled himself for the resentment in the gaze as he pondered the next topic of discussion.

"What assurances do I have that the Jedi won't come looking for me? I can't imagine they will take kindly to having their own kidnapped."

As expected the employer's eyes narrowed dangerously, he seemed to brush up against Skepaf's very mind. The feeling made him oh so very sick but the thought of not being able to return to his family pushed him through it, so he pressed his point forward instead of squirming under the glare as he would have done usually.

"The men I hired for the operation will not trace back to either of us, and if you've done your job properly then there should be nothing to worry about."

The last part of the sentence was more growled than spoken, Skepaf understood the message his employer did not want to hear anymore on the subject. Knowing he was treading on very precarious ground now Skepaf nodded quickly and replied.

"Yes of course, I will see you in a few hours with the Jedi." Skepaf nervously finished.

The man seemed to be appeased by the change of tone and nodded a farewell with a small smile on his face that didn't quite reach his eyes before cutting off the communication.

Skepaf breathed in a sigh of relief, that was close. He really should refrain from questioning his employer again before the handover, anyone could sense how dangerous he was! Skepaf's thoughts drifted back to the Jedi in the hold and pulled up the security feed on the terminal, this whole thing was making him feel uneasy and he had the sudden urge to check what the prisoners were up to.

Skepaf frowned as everything seemed to be as it should be in the cell, the boy was curled up against the older Jedi and he seemed to be comforting him well. Skepaf had to keep up this cold distant facade around the two prisoners until they were handed over, he needed to get back to his own family and that desire outweighed everything in his own mind. Their relationship had touched a nerve with him, Skepaf had always heard of Jedi having no attachments and they were all meant to be cold and distant. The two humans before him however couldn't have proved that rumour more wrong, it was indisputable the affection they had for each ever and Skepaf had felt something he hadn't felt in a long time when he had used that against Kenobi. Guilt.

* * *

Shifting slightly Obi wan gazed down at his apprentice, he seemed to be deep in thought which was of no surprise to Obi wan. The boy had been through a rough ordeal and had to think through his muddled thoughts, Obi wan loathed not being able to help his young padawan, this was a time where joint meditation was really required Anakin would be having a tough time dealing with all the new thoughts and feelings that had been thrust upon him, which was primarily down to Obi wan.

Obi wan really could do with some time to think through everything as well although every time he tried to push all thoughts out of his head and meditate however, he could frustratingly no longer find his inner calm and stay deep in thought for any longer than a few minutes. It was deeply disconcerting how much the Jedi relied on the force and without it seemingly simple tasks were made almost impossible.

His throbbing head and ribs probably didn't help the matter if he was honest, grimacing again as the broken bones in his chest jarred when he tried to find a more appeasing position to allow himself to breath without intense misery. Obi wan's arms had long gone numb in the strained position that they were held behind his back, Skepaf was taking no chances with him it seemed.

Obi wan rested his head back against the wall and closed his eyes, willing for any relief from his various injuries. Without warning he felt a burst of energy slam into his mind, it was enough to nearly knock him over. Startled eyes darted around the cell, trying to ascertain the location of the intrusion of whatever that was, looking down at Anakin he could see his young charge deep in concentration.

Just when Obi wan was about to pass the ordeal off as a consequence of concussion did he feel the sharp burst again, this time he recognised the feeling though and grappled for it mentally willing to keep a tight hold of the energy he had been without for what felt like a life time. The force.

It was even more painful than having it ripped away from him the first time, being able to feel the force and watching it slip away from his mind. Obi wan knew they were being watched and did not want to give away his new found feelings of the force, he was sure this force suppressant wasn't supposed to wear off so quickly and peered down at his apprentice again. _No he couldn't be… could he?_

Obi wan's thoughts were interrupted again as he felt more energy than before flow into his empty mind, this time he traced back the origins of the energy flow to his bond with Anakin. _That boy is brilliant!_

' _I know, Master'._

The mental message across their training bond almost reduced Obi wan to tears, there was so much relief brought from hearing Anakin's voice inside his head again. _Oh force I'm going to regret thinking that…_.

 _'Yep I'm never letting you forget this one.'_

Obi wan could hear the overwhelming joy in his padawan's voice, this whole ordeal must have been terrifying especially with losing connection to Obi wan for the first time.

' _Anakin, you know it doesn't count if you read my thoughts'_ Obi wan beamed back along the bond, he had missed this feeling so much!

The force started to recede slightly and Obi wan panicked again, he had distracted Anakin and whatever his padawan was doing to give his master temporary access to the force was waning. With further conviction he heard Anakin slip further into the force doubling his previous efforts, which Obi wan felt as more and more force energy came tumbling into his mind across their bond.

This time Obi wan did not waste the opportunity and set to work, he guided the force around his body with one major task in mind, getting rid of this damn force inhibitor drug. Several painful minutes later most remnants of the inhibitor in Obi wan's blood stream had dissipated and both master and padawan collapsed back against the wall exhausted from the exercise they had both undertook.

Obi wan felt the force swell around his battered body and harnessed it with eagerness he had never felt before, grasping as much as he could possibly contain he allowed the force to flow through his veins bringing about rejuvenation of the many injuries that graced his body. He felt he was too weak at the moment to enter a full healing trance so just concentrated on alleviating the pain and dealing with the major ailments such as the jiggling bones in his rib cage.

Both master and padawan were gasping for breath trying to lower their racing heart rates, content with the knowledge that they could once again feel each other in their minds. Obi wan gazed down at awe at his padawan, his connection to the force had surprised many masters but this was something else. Obi wan had never seen anything like it and welled up in pride with how much Anakin had learnt in such a short space of time, it was an incredible feeling being so close to somebody with such a connection to the force. It was more than every Jedi Obi wan had ever been in the same room as, Qui Gon, Mace Windu and even Master Yoda.

"Are you okay, Anakin?" Obi wan's voice was not as steady as he would have liked, having the force return to him so abruptly was a draining experience.

"I think so, Master." Anakin was faring no better and was also taking deep breaths whilst talking.

' _How did you do that, Padawan?'_ Obi wan thought it best to converse over their bond as they were most likely being watched and quite frankly he had dearly missed this feeling.

Anakin beamed up at his master thankful that he could once again feel his bright pulsing presence in the force, granted it was weaker than usual because of the remnants of the suppressor but it was far better than the loneliness he had felt in his mind the past few hours. Anakin didn't know how Obi wan had managed it, being cut off from one being was bad enough but everything at once!

He had run a quick scan over his master and relished in the fact that Obi wan was once again getting control of the force and had started alleviating his more serious injuries. Anakin could now feel the pain his master was in over their bond, knowing this was the suppressed feeling Anakin grimaced not wanting to imagine how the pain would have felt without the aid of the force.

' _I don't know exactly, Master, I was in a deep meditative state then something brushed up against my mind. I don't know what it was exactly but I then sensed wisps of our bond in my head again, something was urging me to grab hold of them so I did. Then it was just like pushing energy into them, the first time I did it it hurt but then the more the bond opened the easier it was, and when I felt you in my mind again I kept the flow open.'_

Anakin relayed the moments that had led this to point watching as his master absorbed the information, brows furrowed deep in thought. He had seen what he thought was pride, bewilderment and comfort in Obi wan's eyes the moment he had realised what Anakin was doing and the thoughts were further enforced as his master's feelings pulsed brightly along the bond.

His master's shields were wide open, the energy that he had used to heal his injuries and rid the force suppressant from his system had obviously taken their toll on Obi wan. It worried Anakin that any force sensitive would now be able to read his master's inner most thoughts so he had sent as much force energy through the bond until he felt Obi wan's mental shields start to be rebuilt again.

' _Thank you, Ani, that was much needed, you're going to tire yourself out if you try that again though.'_

He knew his master was right he felt exhausted, not just exhausted but more tired than he had ever felt in his life, drained. Content with feeling his masters presence again Anakin stopped pushing force energy through to Obi wan and rested against his side.

* * *

Obi wan wouldn't have believed what just happened if he hadn't been on the receiving end of it, that was truly remarkable. He had never heard of anything else like it from any other Jedi, granted there weren't many moments when Jedi were cut off from the force but it seemed Anakin had accomplished the impossible yet again. _That boy is full of surprises._ Obi wan appreciated the added energy which he had used to rebuild some of his shields, he would need them if this mysterious employer was force sensitive which Obi wan knew deep down was the most likely solution.

With the ability of the force again Obi wan had an idea, it was something he had thought of earlier but after his padawan's last experience venturing out with the force Obi wan dared not risk it. He knew he had almost lost Anakin then, and there was no way he was risking that again, besides the boy was positively exhausted and who was to blame him after what he'd just achieved?

' _Well whatever just happened, Padawan, I am truly grateful, your skills and wisdom in the force astound me on a daily basis!'_ Obi wan sent the equivalent of a mental hug with the message, it was the best he could do without the ability of physically being able to hug Anakin at the moment.

At his apprentice's wary glance upwards he could sense Anakin knew what he planned to do.

 _'Are you sure, Master? It could be dangerous…'_

 _'Yes, Padawan, this may be the only chance we get to send out a communication before we get dropped off with this employer.'_

At Anakin's still worried glance he added smiling _'I'll be alright, Ani, I've done this hundreds of times'_

Whilst that was true Obi wan had never tried this neat little trick for the length he was planning and also not from this distance, especially after just being suppressed from the force for so long but he kept these small details to himself not wanting to worry Anakin unnecessarily.

 _'Keep watch for me, Padawan, I'm going to be quite far under and if anyone notices I'm using the force again Skepaf will not be pleased.'_

 _'Yes, Master, be careful please.'_

Obi wan picked up on the worry in Anakin's voice, it was palpable. _He's only worried I will get hurt, he doesn't want to see that again…_

Preparing himself for the upcoming task Obi wan straightened his back as much as he could with his injuries, closed his eyes and sunk deep within the force revelling in its power and expanse once again.

It was a remarkable feeling being able to actually grasp onto something for the first time in hours, albeit it was requiring more energy than usual to maintain the connection, it was there. Obi wan would have to concentrate more than he ever had in his life to complete this task, no distractions no outside influences. Sinking deeper into the force Obi wan sought out the life essence of the guard assigned to their corridor Anakin had informed him of.

It didn't take long for Obi wan to latch himself onto the primitives mind, despite it being a long time since he had tried something like this the feelings rushed through him naturally as if it were only yesterday.

Pushing thought suggestions into the beings mind Obi wan was rewarded with compliance as the guard moved away from his post and towards the bridge. They only had to get one communication out to the Jedi council about their location, only one would be what it took.

Obi wan felt the man get closer and closer to his final destination and struggled with the strain of keeping up such powerful force suggestions over such a distance. He was effectively puppeteering this man, it would usually be frowned upon but desperate measures…

Agonisingly the guard made his way slowly onto the bridge, Obi wan felt his control slipping and the man even looked around in confusion wondering how and why he was on the ship's bridge. With anew strength Obi wan pushed even farther into the beings mind bringing the simple minded creature under his control again, he felt that he couldn't hold this up much longer but he only needed this to hold for another minute or so.

The man headed towards the nearest available communications terminal and Obi wan strained as the communication channel for the Jedi council were agonisingly slowly punched in, so close now just a few more moments.

Abruptly the guard was spun around away from the terminal and Obi wan sensed Skepaf the captain and he was fuming…

* * *

Skepaf glanced around his bridge, all the men were preparing for the last leg of their trip. He could tell from the faces from each and every one of them that they were exhausted and couldn't wait for this assignment to be over. Skeapf didn't blame them he felt exactly the same, the sooner they handed the Jedi prisoners over the sooner they all could go back to their lives considerably richer.

One of the men caught Skepaf's gaze as he robotically wandered onto the bridge, marking it down as tiredness Skepaf's eyes averted to the rest of the bridge once again. Before long however his gaze was falling upon the newly entered man again as he seemed to stumble looking confused, before returning to moving robotically towards a terminal.

Every instinct in Skepaf was alerting him to this situation not being quite right, he started to move towards the man with his hand reaching for his blaster. _Wasn't that the guard from the Jedi's corridor?_

When he reached to lean over the man's shoulder his hunch was proved correct as Skepaf witnessed the guard inputting a communication channel which he had no right doing.

With haste Skepaf jolted the guard around away from the almost complete communication and threw him across the floor. The guard skidded towards the middle of the floor eyes wild and uncontrolled as his senses returned to him, everything on the bridge had fallen silent every single man had observed the blaster held in their captain's hand.

"Sir, what, what am I doing here? I don't understand one minute I was guarding the prisoners then, then…" The guard reeled off towards the end as pure horror and confusion covered his features as he truly didn't understand how he had got here.

Skepaf took one glance at the fallen man and saw the confusion and fear in the guard's eyes, Skepaf was a great reader of people and saw straight through this man. He did not have it in him to pull this off, that only led to one other possibility that explained why the man seemed to move in such robotic movements.

"Kenobi…" He spat out the name venomously as realisation dawned on him that the Jedi currently a prisoner was controlling HIS men's minds.

Signaling a group of guards to accompany him to the hold he barked out the instruction to prepare a double dose of force suppressant, and proceeded to storm off the bridge towards the hold anger blazing.

* * *

Back in the cell Obi wan had collapsed forward at the sudden loss of connection from the being, he knew what had happened Skepaf had twigged something was up and pulled the guard out of his control, Obi wan hadn't been able to finish sending the communication he had failed.

"Master what happened what is it?!" Anakin pushed forward to help Obi wan back onto his knees worry strew in his voice.

"He knows, oh force he knows… I'm sorry Ani I couldn't complete the communication before the control was ripped from me" Obi wan replied apologetically.

Both he and Anakin's heads whipped upwards as they felt, no, were _pummeled_ with raging anger which was undoubtedly Skepaf's as he stalked closer and closer towards the hold. They glanced at one another and instinctively moved further away from the entrance to the cell, Obi wan could feel fear pouring off his padawan and if he was honest with himself could feel his own heart rate increase. _This is going to hurt…_

"I'm scared, Master, he seems really really angry." Anakin's blue eyes penetrated right through to Obi wan's heart which nearly broke with his apprentice's tone.

"It'll be okay, Anakin, it's alright to be afraid you just need to learn to release it into the force to move forward. They need us alive so try not to worry." Obi wan added trying to keep Anakin upbeat before the oncoming storm crashed into their cell.

Obi wan was no fool he knew what was coming, he could feel it. The thought terrified him, he gazed into the captain's very soul and witnessed so much venom, so much hate. _That's going to be taken out on me… at least he won't harm Anakin._ The thing Obi wan was most fearful of though was the upcoming void, he would bepumped with more of that dreadful substance and his connection with Anakin would be once again severed.

"What do you mean he won't harm me?" Anakin questioned genuinely confused.

Obi wan nearly chided his padawan for reading his thoughts whilst he had compromised shields but if he was honest he could very well have been projecting and it was not what Anakin needed to hear right now. Glancing down at the blood covered face of his young charge he explained quickly that he had made a deal with the captain to keep Anakin out of the firing line, he further added Skepaf had guaranteed Anakin's well being whilst under his care.

"But, Master, you can't take all of this on by yourself!" Anakin was truly horrified his master had offered to take everything the captain would dish out over their journey.

Obi wan smiled down sadly at Anakin, regretful over what the boy was about to witness but thankful that he would not have to stand by and watch whilst Anakin was further hurt and having to bare his heart breaking.

"It's my responsibility as your master, Anakin, I swore a vow to protect you and I intend to keep it. Besides as we've already covered, my looks are hardly going to be winning any beauty contests one of us has to be face of the team." This was Obi wan's last chance to lift Anakin's spirits before Skepaf and his men arrived, they only had moments as the heavy hurried footsteps got closer with every passing second.

He was rewarded with a smirk from his padawan and an understanding gaze on his face, it was simply unfair that Anakin was having to go through all of this at such a young age but Obi wan believed that he would be strong.

' _You have to be strong, Padawan, this isn't going to be pleasant but believe that there is nothing you can do to help me. I got myself into this mess and am going to have to deal with the consequences. Now move to the wall I don't want you getting caught up when they storm in here.'_

Obi wan spoke the last message across their bond, reveling in the security he felt of having Anakin in his head. This would be the last time for who knew how long that they would be able to communicate this way and just be a comfort for each other, the thought of having Anakin ripped away from his mind again was enough to nearly bring Obi wan to tears.

Anakin latched onto Obi wan in a vigorous hug before scurrying towards the edge of the room as the force field to their cell fizzled out of existence and a very irate captain stormed into the room flanked by no less than eight guards all equipped with shock sticks. _Still afraid of me then_ , Obi wan mused, the captain was no fool obviously.

"I warned you Jedi, you shouldn't have crossed me!" The captain spat at Obi wan before he nodded to the guards who all poured into the cell.

 _'No matter what they do to me, Anakin, I need you to promise me to keep faith and I promise I won't blame myself if you don't blame yourself.'_

He could tell the boy was struggling with the prospect of promising something like that, he didn't want Obi wan to go through this, _force I'm not exactly relishing the idea myself,_ Obi wan admitted to himself as the pirates surged towards him.

 _'Anakin, please promise me.'_ The last thing Obi wan needed was Anakin brooding again and blaming himself, they had to stay objective now more than ever, and besides it was his smart idea to try this. _Not so smart to get caught doing it, Kenobi,_ Obi wan chided himself, he only had seconds now and glanced across at Anakin.

 _'I promise, Master, I can't promise I won't want to kill them though.'_

Obi wan almost smiled until he was reminded very violently that this was going to hurt as eight venomously angry pirates reached his position. He saw from the look in Anakin's eyes that he meant it he wouldn't blame himself, Obi wan stopped himself from lecturing his padawan over the pitfalls of anger at this moment. He knew if their roles were reversed he wouldn't be able to contain his distaste either, Jedi always upheld the no attachment rule but no one seemed to admit that the padawan/ apprentice was one of the strongest relationships ever encountered.

Obi wan sent one more reassuring push across the bond to Anakin and steeled himself for the upcoming assault.

A needle was mercilessly stabbed into his neck for the second time that day and Obi wan prepared himself for the void that would become his mind… The dosage was definitely larger this time as Obi wan felt the effects immediately take hold, when one of the assailants gripped his shoulder it felt as though someone was stabbing him with hot knifes. _Oh great so not just the force suppressant has been doubled…_ He knew he was in for a hell of a time and tried to mentally prepare himself for what was about to unfold.

Two guards grabbed each of his arms and Obi wan was hauled to his feet jarring the still fragile bones rattling in his ribcage. Even with his hands restrained and force ability cut off these guys were obviously still planning on overkill.

The first blow to his midsection stole all the air from his lungs, he didn't have anything left in his lungs to cry out so just settled for trying to catch his breath again. Doubling over was the natural instinct to try and escape from the agony firing through his chest but the guards holding his arms had other ideas and yanked him up into a standing position by the hair ready for the next attack on his rib cage and another guard stepped forward to deliver the next punch.

Obi wan wasn't sure how long they repeated this action, but the guards either side of him continued to relentlessly haul him back to his feet again stopping any reprieve he may have had to curl up on the floor. After each time a bone cracked in his battered body the room was filled with the most haunting howl, Obi wan had never felt misery like it to compare the feeling to anything. The only thing his shocked brain could produce was that it was like every muscle, every nerve ending being lit on fire but the flames did not die down and the nerves did not become numb.

He had stopped trying to lift his head up long ago and after each strike was giving into the prospect of another assault, he had heard more bones crack and definitely felt things shift inside that shouldn't be shifting. _So much pain… I can't hold out much longer…_

Just as he thought he would pass out from the lack of oxygen the hits stopped coming, he lifted his head from his chest and gazed forwards blearily just in time to acknowledge a fist heading straight for his jaw. Obi wan's head snapped to the right with such force that he heard his neck crack, blood spurted out all over the floor and he felt more build up in his mouth. Spitting it out onto the ground with disgust Obi wan tried to right his position all he ended up doing was swaying as consciousness threatened to leave him, it was no worry though the helpful guards behind him pushed him back into place and yanked his hair until he was facing the attacker again.

They let go of his head just as the fist crashed into his jaw yet again, this time the guards behind him didn't hold onto his body and he fell where the punch directed him, straight down to the ground. He remembered distantly hearing a scream ripping itself from his raw throat as he careered into the ground with a force that made every bone in his body rattle. If it wasn't for the shock of the sudden impact with the floor Obi wan was sure he would have been out like a light after the latest assault on his face.

He could feel blood dripping from his jaw and newly reopened cut on his nose fall down his bruised face to pool beneath his head. He had landed with such ferocity that he could no longer distinguish which part of his body was not in agony, the head wound was making everything extremely fuzzy and time seemed to slow down. He tried rolling onto his back to alleviate his tortured shoulder and side, _Big mistake, Kenobi,_ shifting around on the ground jarred all of his newly broken bones and he groaned as black spots danced in his vision.

Mercifully the assault was over as Skepaf begrudgingly called his dogs off, Obi wan desperately tried to concentrate on breathing and didn't pay too much attention to what was directed at him before the constant buzz of the force field engaging filled the room. He had heard a few words which he vaguely puzzled together to be 'Don't try that again, Jedi, we wouldn't want the boy to see you lose a limb.'

He reached out for Anakin's presence and was of course hit with the horrifying realisation of no access to the force again, he didn't have to wait long however until Anakin's petrified face appeared in his greying vision shaking Obi wan's shoulder softly. He could see his padawan's lips moving but funnily enough no sound was reaching Obi wan's ears, his eyes could vaguely make out the words 'Master' and 'stay with me'.

This moment reminded Obi wan of the fateful mission he had related to Anakin only a short time ago, he hadn't told his padawan the whole tale as parts were too painful for Obi wan to relive. It was quite ironic actually his role had been completely reversed so many years on, in the past it had been Obi wan fretting over his master's abused body in their cell so he knew exactly how helpless and angered Anakin felt as he had lived through it himself.

 _Obi wan and Qui gon had been stuck in the dingy prison for almost a day now, no one had come to see them, no water had been left. Their captors were obviously not interested in keeping their captives healthy, Obi wan had remained on the damp floor as Qui gon had continued his healing efforts throughout the day. It was doing something as the intense agony Obi wan had felt when shifting slightly was now down to a dull ache, the next step would be to try and move Obi wan into a seated position if they were ever going to get out of here._

 _Obi wan still felt awful that he had failed so badly, he was slowing his master down again Obi wan knew he was the thing stopping Qui gon from just storming out of the prison in his current state Obi wan would be a hindrance not a helping hand. 'Why won't he just leave me and escape from this place?'_

 _The tired look Obi wan received from his master proved that yes he had heard his padawan's thoughts._

 _"I've told you, Obi wan, you are my responsibility and I will not leave you to fend for yourself in this awful place, this wound is starting to get better but you have to work with me on this and we will BOTH get out of here together."_

 _Qui gon managed a weak smile trying to keep Obi wan's spirits up and was equally rewarded with a faint smile in return from his fallen padawan._

 _It wasn't long after Qui gon had settled back into healing Obi wan's wound that the silence was disrupted by a heavy foot fall outside their cell. The feelings from the men heading towards them put Obi wan on edge, he could sense the anger and hatred radiating off of them directed at him and his master. Glancing up at his master, Qui gon, Obi wan was surprised that he was a complete picture of calmness a serene look covered his face as he continued to meditate. 'How can he stay so calm? Can he not sense them coming?'_

 _Again Qui gon had heard Obi wan's thoughts and offered a sad smile before starting to stand in front of Obi wan's broken body, as if he had seen what was about to happen. Qui gon had always been better than Obi wan for seeing what was about to take place, still it only took Obi wan a few moments more than his master to foresee why their captors were heading this way and the thought made him sick to his stomach._

 _That was when the rebels blundered into the room and headed towards the Jedi all the while keeping blasters pointing at Obi wan's form. Qui gon didn't resist nor make any aggressive movements as the guards surrounded them, Obi wan was quite frankly terrified he didn't know how much more pain he could take and that was without a doubt the reason the men were here he could sense their hatred and loathing for the two Jedi._

 _"Our platoon in the city were just picked up by imperial guards, that wouldn't have anything to do with you Jedi now would it?" The leader of the group that had scorched Obi wan's skin with his own light saber accused stepping dangerously close to Qui gon's form._

 _"How could it be when we've been your guests here?" The sarcasm dripping from his master's voice made Obi wan smile, not a hint of terror made it into the commanding voice of Qui gon Jinn. Obi wan wasn't so sure he could have held his voice so steady in that position._

 _The smirk was wrenched from Obi wan's face however as the butt end of a rifle came crashing into his midsection snatching away any air he had left in his lungs. Curling up into a tight ball as much as his abused stomach would allow Obi wan concentrated on taking small breaths and desperately fought away the darkness that edged closer and started to cloud his vision._

 _When Obi wan's eyes stopped watering and he managed to gaze at the scene again it felt as though he had missed something vital, the leader and his master were conversing whilst glancing over at his form. Obi wan couldn't catch much but a few mutterings filtered through his senses that he could vaguely decipher "just a child, we're men accustomed to war, I will not resist, don't harm the boy."_

 _Obi wan shook his head to try and de-cloud his vision and senses, the man that had hit him with the rifle was no longer standing above him they all seemed to be converging around Qui gon._

 _"No, Master you can't let them do this!" Obi wan's rage threatened to spill over as the thoughts of the leader filtered into his mind, his brother was among the men captured and he had one thing on his mind, vengeance. He was silenced as a guard started toward him blaster raised in a threatening manner but was thankfully stopped from being whacked around the head again as the leader warned against it._

 _"I will do what I have to in order to protect you, Padawan."_

 _His master's voice was incredibly steady as he spoke, eyes never leaving the glare from the rebel. Qui gon sent a final burst of reassurance along their training bond before blocking his mind entirely, Obi wan felt hurt until the realisation dawned on him._ ' _He doesn't want me feeling his pain…'_

 _Men grabbed his master's arms and pinned them painfully behind him, Obi wan would never forget the turmoil and pure hatred he had felt towards another being as blow after blow met their target._

 _Qui gon never once made a sound other than the odd grunt, he was trying to stay strong for Obi wan's sake so he didn't have to witness or feel the pain reigning down on him, Obi wan wanted nothing more than to leap up and cut them all down but because of his own stupid actions he was in no position to affect a rescue. The longer he stayed silent the more vicious the attacks became until eventually Obi wan heard a sound that haunted his dreams for many years to come._

 _An inhumane scream tore itself from Qui gon's throat as a particularly cruel blow from a baton crashed into his arm with such force that the room was all of a sudden filled with the disturbing sound of cracking bones. After their captor had worked out most of his aggression on the rest of his master's failing body he ordered the men to leave the room and followed them out himself after smiling evilly in Obi wan's direction._

 _Obi wan couldn't believe what he'd just witnessed, how had he ever felt sympathy towards these rebels. He now understood the way his master had looked at him earlier for even suggesting such a thing, how naive he had been… Stuck in shock it took him a few moments before he started agonisingly dragging his body towards his fallen master's impeded slightly by his still bound wrists._

 _"Master, Master, you stubborn bantha please say something!" Obi wan lightly shook Qui gon's shoulders as his master resolutely did not open his eyes and squirmed away from Obi wan._

 _"Padawan, please, you jolting me is not helping with the banging in my head." Qui gon groaned quietly cradling his broken arm._

 _"I'm sorry, Master, I was just worried when you were so still." Obi wan hadn't realised he was crying as he felt warm tears trickle down his cheeks._

 _"Obi wan, you worry about your old master too much, it's not for you to worry about me that's my job." Qui gon smiled sitting up slowly with the help of his padawan._

 _"Now you shouldn't be moving about with your injury after all the work I put into it and I won't forget you calling me a stubborn bantha!" Qui gon finished with his eyebrows raised and a slight smirk on his face which caused Obi wan to sink further down towards the floor._

 _"Yes, Master, I think I need some rest myself" Obi wan was desperate to get out of his master's scrutinising glare and observed as Qui gon chuckled at his padawan's blatant attempts to shift the attention elsewhere. They had both laid there in that cell for hours recuperating from their various injuries taking comfort in one another's presence._

Obi wan was brought out of his reverie as Anakin shook his shoulders a little too hard and he groaned out loud. Every fibre of his being felt as though it was on fire, the upped dose of the drug that had been administered into Obi wan's system made the physical contact he had endured more than double the agony he had felt the first time he had experienced it, along with a very heavy feeling of nausea.

When he thought back at the memory now and his confusion at his master's acceptance of the situation it didn't puzzle him anymore, he felt the need to protect Anakin just as Qui gon had for Obi wan. Obi wan knew Anakin simply wouldn't understand the need for him to put himself in harms way but he would one day when he had a troublesome padawan of his own to look over. _Oh force Anakin was due for a very disruptive padawan the way he had made Obi wan run around after him…_

He would rather go through days of what Skepaf had to deal him rather than watch Anakin in pain, and maybe that was selfish of him but it was the only thing pushing Obi wan through this misery, he honestly couldn't have handled seeing Anakin go through that.

Obi wan remained flat on his back staring up at his apprentice's face as slowly but surely he sunk into the depths of unconsciousness taking refuge to a place in his mind where the pain wasn't so ferocious. Slipping his eyes closed the last conscious thought he had was of Anakin and hoping he would be able to cope on his own for a while, Obi wan knew how heartbreaking it was to see the ones you cared about in so much pain. His strength finally slipping away from him, Obi wan Kenobi fell into the forgiving recess of his own mind desperately looking for a place where everything did not hurt so much.

* * *

 **Well that's it for another week guys! I am on track for regular postings for some while now, the next chapter is currently going through some tweaking and beta reading so it will be posted next weekend!**

 **As always any feedback is welcome, until next time...**


	9. Chapter 9

**Thank you everyone for the interest in the story, in this chapter our heroes are in trouble!**

 **Annie walker - Poor Obi wan indeed :O You'll have to read to find out! Thank you for the encouraging words :D**

* * *

 _The sound of water cascading and splashing reached Obi wan's ears, opening his eyes he was greeted with the familiar surroundings of the room of a thousand fountains in the temple. The room was stocked to the brim with plants and small life forms from all over the galaxy, Jedi seemed to add to it after missions and Obi wan knew Qui gon was responsible for the vast majority of these additions with his love for 'pathetic life forms'. The colours of the plants vibrantly lit up the room and made some exceedingly picturesque reflections in the various pools of water, the room was filled with many walkways all leading in different directions to each other._

 _Obi wan's feet seemed to move of their own accord towards a hunched over figure on one of the many seating spots in the tranquil room, this was Qui gon's favourite place to meditate… Shaking himself Obi wan continued forward moving on from past thoughts as Qui gon had always instructed him 'stay in the present moment'._

 _"What makes you think this isn't the present moment, my not so young Padawan?" The figures smooth baritone voice drifted towards his ears._

 _Obi wan halted on the spot, his breath hitching he could never forget that voice. He still remembered to this day the first time his master had called him padawan all those years ago, he reveled in the memories of when times were simpler and when the galaxy wasn't filled with so much pain. He had wished to hear that voice use that word again ever since the moment Qui gon Jinn passed into the force, a foolish childish wish but one that his head deemed to be necessarily fulfilled._

 _His thoughts were once again interrupted as the deep chuckle he had oh so missed filled the room and the figure stood lowering his hood._

 _"You were always stubborn, Obi wan, but this takes the biscuit, I have to wait until your unconscious and without mental shielding before you would let me in!"_

 _If Obi wan wasn't already close to passing out he was now, the face that greeted him was just the same as he remembered it when he had said goodbye to his master on that fateful day in Naboo. The man stood tall clad in Jedi tunics with his light saber strapped on his hip, long silver hair draped down his back just as Obi wan remembered, and kind familiar eyes bore into Obi wan's very soul._

 _Unresolved feelings threatened to bubble over as Obi wan dropped to his knees wondering what cruel trick this was supposed to be! Disbelief turned into anger as he concluded someone was playing with him, how dare they use the still raw memory of his beloved master when he was dead?!_

 _That's when Obi wan's mind seemed to catch up with what this, well whatever he was, had said. Unconscious? What was he talking about… It was then Obi wan felt a sharp pain in his side and chest and looked down to find the front of his white tunic spoiled with blood._

 _The man with Qui gon's appearance started towards him, deep concern edged over his features. The cascading of the water and the chirping of the life forms faded away until just a dead-set ringing filled Obi wan's head. The man's lips seemed to be moving and he was now looking very alarmed but Obi wan could no longer focus on these illusions as the burning in his side and head reached a new found level and a scream erupted from his bruised jaw._

* * *

The next thing Obi wan was aware of was the freezing cold metal under his head and a small squeaky voice calling out his name, he wanted to go back to where there was no pain why was this person so insistent on him opening his eyes? Memories from the past day flooded back into his brain a split second later that sent him reeling for a few moments.

He didn't make the mistake this time round of trying to sit up in one motion so just settled for prying his eyes open painstakingly slowly, the agony was still unmistakable and it took some time before the fuzzy surroundings actually turned into subject matter.

Of course the first thing he focused on was the face of Anakin, blue eyes filled with worry and his padawan braid dangling down only just touching Obi wan's face. He forced himself to smile slowly even though his jaw protested the movement greatly, and was rewarded with a slight smile back from Anakin and the twinkle in his eyes seemed to return.

"Come on, Master, no sleeping on the job!"

Obi wan chuckled slightly before abruptly stopping as it jostled his chest enough to bring about a coughing fit, he felt hands soothing the area and soon the fit was over and he settled with just steadying his breathing for a few moments. Looking back up again he could see Anakin was shaken and noticed a few tear stains on his cheeks, _how long have I been unconscious?_

"It felt like forever!" Anakin exclaimed before shamelessly looking down at Obi wan he had made quite a habit of seeing what was on Obi wan's mind.

"I am sorry, Ani, If I ahem _fall asleep_ again please feel free to shake me out of it." Obi wan grinned back hoping to thaw some of the atmosphere in the room, it wasn't long before he was rewarded with a smirk from his young apprentice.

"Now help me up please this floor is rather uncomfortable, I feel our captors need some pointers on interior decorating."

Sarcasm was always a good fall back especially with Anakin, the boy visibly relaxed some more and started to help Obi wan up off the floor. It took an excruciating long time but eventually both master and padawan were propped up against the far wall breathing deeply over the exertion.

"I'm sorry you don't like it, Master, I thought it was quite roomy and booked us in for a jaunt next week." The smirk on his apprentice's face was enough to have Obi wan laughing again, be damned with the coughing that would eventually come afterwards.

After the subsequent coughing fit had subsided Obi wan looked pointedly at his young charge.

"I'm not going to make you do anything you don't want to, Anakin, god knows you've already far exceeded every one of my expectations today, but this might be the only chance we have left to send out a communication and if you feel up to it maybe you could do a better job than I did."

Obi wan watched as Anakin took in the information, his brows furrowed as they did when he concentrated, eventually Anakin's tear stained eyes met Obi wan's and nodded slowly.

"What if they hurt you again?" Anakin squeaked out in terror and Obi wan's heart nearly broke then and there.

The harsh truth was though this may be the only chance they have to escape for a very long time, Obi wan was in no decent shape and as soon as they got handed off to a force user… Anakin stilled as he heard Obi wan's thoughts and seemed to nod in understanding.

"We don't have any other choice do we?"

"Anakin, I won't lie to you this may be the only shot we have left and it's our responsibility to take it, like I said I won't ask this of you this has to be your decision. However do not think about my safety when making it I would sacrifice myself over and over again if it meant getting you out of here and away from the force user." Obi wan finished sternly indicating he wanted no argument over the matter.

Obi wan watched as a flurry of emotions crossed Anakin's features, anger, fear, frustration and finally acceptance, he had made his decision. He hated having to put Anakin in this position it definitely wasn't fair on the boy but the foreboding of the new threat looming over them made it more than necessary.

"Okay, Master, I will, however I am not happy about you taking the blame if this goes wrong how do you think I feel when I have to watch you being beaten?" Anger laced the statement and Obi wan took a deep breath he understood where Anakin was coming from, having watched his own master Qui gon being brutalised he sympathised with the anger the boy was feeling.

"Anakin, I understand more than you know."

He saw the boy jump slightly as he sensed the memory Obi wan was replaying in his head and winced as the implications sunk in and Anakin's anger seemed to leave him for the moment to be replaced with steely determination.

"We're both making sacrifices, I will do my best, Master." Gone was the voice of his 12 year old charge, in its place the strong tenor of the man promised to come.

"I know you will, Anakin." Obi wan beamed affectionately at Anakin, pride welling up inside of him.

"Now Skepaf will hopefully be complacent, he doesn't think he's in danger of falling for the same trick twice not with me out of action in the force. Now remember the time I taught you to push a force suggestion into somebody's head?" Obi wan spoke in a hushed tone in case anyone was watching the security feed.

At Anakin's nod he continued noting the boy was concentrating and preparing himself, Obi wan knew this was a long shot but the pair both knew the consequence of not trying.

"Okay so you need to reach out with your mind just like before and head for the nearest person you can find, you need to push the thought into their mind continuously and try and steer them towards the bridge where they can send out a communication."

"Now I'm not going to lie to you, this is going to be incredibly difficult and will require all of your attention, if you slip then the crew may get suspicious, do you understand?"

"Yes, Master, I understand." Anakin's was full of determination, all worries driven out only a resolve to complete the task remained.

"Whatever happens, Padawan, you must promise me not to brood, you are not to blame it is my own foolishness that caused the slip last time." Obi wan tried to keep the mood light hearted before the daunting task ahead.

"I do not brood…" Anakin practically snapped back then plastered an extensive grin on his face as he realised Obi wan was teasing.

"May the force be with you, Anakin, good luck".

And with that Anakin fell deep into the currents of the force with the task on his mind, determination and resolve flowed through his veins as the weight of the task pressed on his mind, with one last fleeting glance at Obi wan he ventured out into the corridor.

* * *

Anakin shakily picked himself off of the cell floor, his expression sculptured into a pure look of mortification, _I failed…_

"Anakin, are you alright?" his master's panicked voice wormed its way through his clouded mind.

Anakin looked up into Obi wan's eyes expecting to see disappointment or something, surely he could see that Anakin had failed, Anakin stilled as he could feel Skepaf's rage from here. _What have I done?_

Obi wan's eyes softened as he pieced the puzzle together, Anakin was too incoherent for words right now as images running through the blazing captain's mind reached his. Why wasn't his master angry at him or even ashamed?

"Anakin. what did we say about no brooding?" Obi wan chuckled mirth glittered in his eyes.

"Master, I… He's coming… I'm sorry…" Words weren't forming correctly and suddenly forming coherent sentences were out of the question.

Obi wan just smiled sadly down at him, projecting sorrow and apologies of his own.

"It is I who should be apologising to you, Anakin, I know how hard is to watch the person you love get hurt. I've asked too much of you, don't you dare see this as a failure you have accomplished more today than I could have taught you in years. I am so very proud of you."

He watched as the beginnings of tears started to form at Obi wan's eyes and felt warm liquid trickling down his own cheeks, he would be strong he had to his master would need him now more than ever.

Anakin leapt forward to envelop the older man in an emotional embrace, adjusting his position when he observed his master's problem with breathing. Anakin latched on for dear life and felt anger rise up from within him at the thought's being projected from the captain.

He had been so close to directing a crew member from the bridge to a console panel, he even had started to enter some coordinates then the control slipped and obviously after the last incident the crew twigged onto what was happening very quickly. Before he had retreated back to his own form the thoughts in the captain's head terrified him, he wanted to kill Obi wan.

Obi wan glanced down at Anakin with sorrow in his eyes, he could hear the bustling of movement echo along the corridor and felt the boy stiffen around him. This was going to be very hard on Anakin, it simply wasn't fair that he was being subject to all of this at 12! Whoever this force user was they were going to have a piece of his mind when they inevitably met, he could forgive what he had been subject to but looking down at Anakin he knew he would have a hard time letting these feelings of anger go.

"Anakin, you have to move, they're coming." Obi wan gently reminded his young apprentice who snapped his gaze up.

Fire shone from his apprentice's usually calm eyes, the usual joy and twinkle gone only to be replaced by pure hatred and anger. It terrified Obi wan how ferocious the feelings were, he had never seen Anakin so angry he was actually shaking with it.

"Anakin, let go, use the force you know how dangerous it is to hang onto feelings." This was a delicate time, hypocrisy filled the air around them for a moment, he knew Anakin had sensed his anger so he tried desperately to release his own feelings.

"I hate him, Master!" Anakin spat out head peaking up as the sound of approaching footfall got louder.

"Anakin, if you acted out of anger and hatred you would be no better than him." It was a low blow Obi wan knew but they didn't have long and the last thing they needed right now was Anakin lashing out he was dangerously close to falling victim to his emotions.

Anakin looked as if he was about to snap something back to Obi wan before his features softened slightly and recognition of what he was feeling finally caught up to him, he gripped Obi wan tighter and buried his face in Obi wan's ruined tunics. Obi wan felt Anakin's tension start to dissipate and the anger slowly left his shaking body, it wasn't long before he heard all out sobbing.

"I'm sorry, Master, I've failed you again." The voice was slightly muffled with a choking sound.

"You could never fail me, Anakin, you're going to be strong now." Anakin pulled back and their gaze met.

The fire was receding and in place were the innocent blue eyes he was so used to seeing, releasing that much anger and frustration at such a young age was incredible. Obi wan had been worried Anakin would do something he would later come to regret, as always Anakin thought he had to perfect right now the whole point of being a padawan was to learn and be guided to stay on the path by the master.

It was at this point when the force field for the cell was lowered and the very irate captain roared in heading straight for Obi wan.

Anakin turned and stood the steely look he gave the captain very nearly caused him to stop in his tracks all together, however after only just a moment's second thought he continued on his quest to reach the captives.

"You made the boy do your dirty work, Kenobi? I warned you what would happen if you crossed me again!"

Everyone in the room seemed to stop at the same point as Anakin held out his trembling arms and closed his eyes, all of a sudden every being in the room was slammed against the far wall with unchecked brutality. There was a sickening sound as necks snapped and bones were crushed, a klaxon rung out through the entire ship and there was a distant sound of reinforcements rushing towards the threat.

Obi wan couldn't believe his eyes, his apprentice had just force slammed no less than 8 beings with such power he had never achieved himself, he winced as necks snapped as they impacted with the wall. Anakin, however, had only acted in self defence and not in anger and didn't have the control over the force yet. That changed when he zeroed in on the captain's fallen body however, whatever Anakin had seen in the captain's mind relit the fire in his heart and Obi wan watched in horror as Anakin's hand closed around the captain's throat and slammed him against the wall.

"Anakin, no!" It took a few seconds for the command to reach through his padawan's hazy awareness, but painstakingly long moments later the captain's throat was released and Anakin collapsed to the floor in a heap of limbs.

Obi wan felt despair and a sickening feeling well up inside of him, Anakin had almost killed another being out of anger, it was only at the last second that he let the captain go, and now he wasn't responding to Obi wan's calls he had no way of knowing if the training bond was still there _What if he's dead?_ The horrifying terrible thought filled his mind locking out all other logical reasoning.

When he lifted his eyes off of his fallen padawan he noticed the cell was a lot busier, guards were pouring in armed with blaster rifles and shock sticks. He observed detachedly as the captain and any survivors were pulled to their feet, Skepaf spent a good time choking and catching his breath before glaring at Obi wan red faced and broken with murder in his eyes.

"You told the boy to murder my men! How dare you?!" Skepaf headed back over to Obi wan to finish what he started, drawing a long blade from its sheath and flanked by many ticked off guards. _Well at least he thought it was my idea._ Obi wan couldn't help shake the fact that Anakin hadn't moved since he had fallen, this was not looking good at all.

The thought was mercilessly ripped from his head as Obi wan found himself hauled upright and slammed into the wall. The action left him without words or any coherent thoughts, everything exploded into white hot pain as all the broken bones in his battered body were shaken. He drowsily managed to focus on the face of Skepaf in front of him, sneering eyes bore into his own. Without any further warning the knife in Skepaf's hand was abruptly thrust into his mid-section.

Obi wan cried out in an agonising cry as the blade pierced skin muscle and probably organs, with a smirk the hand viciously twisted the knife which was if it was possible more agony than the initial stabbing. As quickly as the attack had started it was over, he felt a hand grip his hair and pull upwards as his legs started to give way, unable to support the weight any longer.

"Not so high and mighty now are we, Jedi?" the last retort was essentially spat at his face.

Even if Obi wan had a reply for the captain he didn't think he would be able to speak, breath left his lungs and only a groan escaped as gravity finally caught up with him and his body crashed to the floor with a resounding thud.

He watched distantly as if he wasn't in his own body anymore as the captain wiped the blood, _his blood,_ off of the knife on his shoulder and readied himself for what would be the killing blow. Obi wan could read people well and this man was too overcome by madness and anger to be reasoned with, he watched detachedly as the captain readied himself to deliver the strike.

Everything in the room seemed to still again as a young voice drifted across the space, in some part of his mind Obi wan registered that to be the voice of Anakin Skywalker and relief flooded his mind at the thought of him being alive, it didn't last long however as the thought slipped away he was going into shock quickly.

"What would your employer do if you killed us?"

Damn that boy was smart, there were only a few things that would override a man's hunger for anger and in Skepaf's case terror of another was definitely something that qualified.

Obi wan gazed up blearily as full blown terror covered the features of the captain, he went as stiff as ice and gazed unsteadily down towards the weapon which was hovering at Obi wan's neck. The tension in the room was discernible, silence seemed to stretch for millennia before the captain seemed to regain some colour and looked around the room. Everyone was waiting on tender hooks for their orders, Obi wan was just struggling albeit slightly in vein to remain conscious, blood loss was dangerous as well as whatever manner of things had been nicked when the knife had penetrated his body.

"Separate them and bind the boy he's dangerous. I don't want Kenobi giving any more instructions to this one here make sure they can't communicate." The captain issued the orders in a shaky tone before storming out of the cell limping slightly after his encounter with the wall.

Obi wan's vision swam before his eyes as he was hauled out of the cell into the corridor and dropped unceremoniously onto the cold hard floor of his new prison, away from Anakin.

He heard a struggle as Anakin was bound probably in the same manner as he was, no matter what words formed in his mind he couldn't get his mouth to respond. He wanted to know Anakin was okay and he was pretty sure all the shouting was over him he just needed to put Anakin's mind at rest about his state of health. That was easier said than done as his health was honestly deteriorating by the second, his mind became more and more groggy as his precious life source flowed out from the messy wound below his chest.

The jostling was pure agony for all the wounds he had already sustained, he was vaguely aware of some kind of wire being wrapped around his legs and proceeding up towards his chest, it was barbed Obi wan found out rather painfully as he tried shifting and was rewarded with the spikes digging in to his flesh eliciting a small cry from his lips.

The sound was mercilessly cut off as a thick rag was stuffed into his bruised jaw and wrapped around the back of his head effectively silencing any further talk. His sight was the next to be stolen as an equally filthy cloth was thickly wrapped around his eyes before being tied tightly also which sent a jolt of pain through his skull, moaning as his head was released and hit the surface with a clang.

He thought he still heard Anakin's panicked shouting as the energy barrier to his own cell sprang to life but he couldn't be sure anymore as sounds faded into a ringing sound and he slowly fell back into the depths of his mind where the pain did not exist in this ferocity. A chiding voice seemed to tell him it was dangerous to fall asleep with blood loss but that voice was not going through what Obi wan was now, the blackness in his mind increased the only thing keeping him in the corporeal world was the spikes of pain flying through his nerves at any slight movement, including breathing.

After witnessing the horrifying assault wrought by his own padawan his thoughts flew back to the remainder of the memories he had of the mission with Qui gon well over a decade ago now…

* * *

 _Punch, kick, backhand, swift hit to the ribs, strike to the jaw, Qui gon took it all in his stride as the rebel continued to rain down his brutal assault on the Jedi master._

 _Obi wan was seething at the rebel in question, unchecked anger was threatening to boil over as the monster continued to attack his master laughing and sneering as he went along. This time there hadn't seemed to be much of an aggravation, he had simply stormed into the prison cell with friends of course that were keeping a watchful eye on Obi wan, and proceeded to carry on where he left off on the last visit._

 _Mercifully the onslaught was finally over and the men left the cell dropping Qui gon to the floor as if he was a sack of tubers, not before delivering one more vicious kick to his midriff however._

 _Obi wan once again made the painstaking journey across the cell dragging himself along the ground grunting as his wound was stretched. He expected to sense anger radiating off of his Qui gon's broken body but all he could feel was detachment. Eventually he reached his master's side and after being satisfied that he was conscious went on a rant._

 _"How can you not be angry at them, Master? They beat you within an inch of your life out of anger!" Obi wan didn't get how his master was staying so calm._

 _Qui gon winced before answering "You have much to learn, my young Padawan, anger towards these men will not help our situation we must keep our heads clear until the opportunity arises to escape."_

 _"I hate them! I want them dead!" Obi wan raged before he even registered the venomous words spilling out from his own mouth._

 _He quickly looked down at the floor and shifted uncomfortably emanating shame, Qui gon's strong hand gripped his jaw and forced him to look into his face. He was expecting Qui gon's face to be etched with disappointment not the slightly bemused flicker that was twinkling in his eyes now. His face was etched into a sad smile however as he let go of Obi wan's chin._

 _"I'm sorry you had to see this, Padawan, I think you've just realised for yourself how anger can control one's actions or in your case speech."_

 _"But, Master, I wanted to kill him when he was in here, how can I ever think such a thing about another being?" Obi wan interrupted appalled at his own feelings and how little control he had over them._

 _"Obi wan, the fact that you have released some of your feelings and are feeling remorse right now proves you have a good heart and you are more than worthy of being a Jedi. I admit if I were in your position I would also feel anger this is why attachment is so dangerous young one. Feeling anger is only human, it's what you do with those feelings that define you. You must release any other feelings you have towards them into the force, meditating sometimes helps."_

 _Obi wan visibly calmed took a deep breath and set about releasing the last of his angry emotions, when he opened his eyes Qui gon was grinning proudly at him._

 _"So you're attached to me hmm?" Obi wan asked slyly not missing the insinuation earlier._

 _"About attached as a gundark is to their prey, my young Padawan" his master playfully replied eyes filled with mirth._

 _Obi wan managed to look offended for a full 5 seconds before the contagious mood took hold and he burst out laughing alongside his master._

This was one of the only moments in Obi wan's life that he had nearly lost control, Qui gon took it all in his stride of course and turned the entire ordeal into a lesson. The words that were barked at them ever since training had begun rung true no more in that moment, _Anger leads to pain, pain leads to fear, fear leads to the dark side…_

Obi wan had never got as angry as Anakin had done, he understood the loss of control Anakin was very young and he couldn't even imagine what the captain was projecting. He was just thankful he had been able to get through to his young charge before he did something he couldn't take back, there was a fleeting moment back in that cell where Obi wan thought he wouldn't get through to Anakin and he would have killed him, the thought made him shudder as he finally fell within the depths of his mind seeking solace and peace…

* * *

 **So our heroes are having a tough time of it! Don't worry the identity of the employer will be revealed very very soon, along with their plans for the two Jedi. Hope you're all enjoying it so far!**

 **Until next time...**


	10. Chapter 10

**Okay so this chapter is up very soon after the last as a little treat... Double posting!**

 **This mostly marks the end of the first act and essentially follows on immediately from the last, wanted to get this up as its done. For all those patiently waiting for the employer's identity to be revealed as well as him showing up, do not fret that is exactly what the next chapter's about which will be up within the week.**

 **Enjoy!**

 _ **YumikoWantsCake - Thank you for your review :) I'm afraid it's not quite this chapter with the employer hence I've uploaded it so soon and am currently writing the next one where things kick off! Yes was feeling a little bad for Obi-Wan at this point so hopefully the actions in the chapter help him out a little!  
Yes I too don't agree with the way the movies handled things, so I wrote him this way instead, I'm glad you like it! :) Your words of encouragement fuel my creative soul so thanks again and I hope you enjoy this chapter and the next which moves things forward even more story wise, should be up very very soon!  
** **Thank you for your patience many of your answers are about to be answered in the next chapter regarding the boy's unknown adversary and of course the inevitable meeting!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 10**

 _Strong hands were shaking his body, a voice and the sound of water started to filter through the fogginess that clouded Obi-Wan's mind. The voice was very familiar and was very insistent on Obi-Wan opening his eyes, to his surprise when he did there wasn't the blinding pain that was expected and there was no blindfold obscuring his vision. His vision slowly became less blurry and he was gazing up into the face of Qui-Gon Jinn once again._

 _His grey eyes bore down into Obi-Wan's filled with concern, that look reminded him of many instances in the past where he had ended up in the med bay after something had gone sour on their various treacherous assignments, and he had woken to see his master's concerned gaze._

 _"Oh great now my subconscious is tormenting me too." Obi-Wan groaned and sat up knocking away the hands that tried to help him to his feet again, he was damned if he was going to accept help from his own mind._

 _"Obi-Wan, wait I'm not your subconscious you know who I am." The man who looked like his master grabbed his arm trying to spin Obi-Wan around._

 _"That's exactly what my own subconscious would say!"_

 _Obi-Wan spat back before viciously ripping himself from Qui-Gon's grip heading off away from the being in front of him. I have to get back to Anakin he needs me. The single thought drove Obi-Wan to start pacing, frustrated with the lack of control in his own mind he screamed out._

 _"Get me out of here!" Obi-Wan yelled to the surroundings or to his own mind, it didn't really matter who listened or whatever this was he just knew he had to get away from this place his emotional state should not to be toyed with right now._

 _With one last devastated look Qui-Gon, the figure, closed his eyes and the surroundings around Obi-Wan started to blur to a brilliant white. The sounds of the cascading water stopped, the smells of the fresh plants ceased to exist and the faint banging in his head accelerated to a constant thrumming so intense it caused Obi-Wan to grab at his skull wishing for the pain to alleviate. His legs gave way from under him and he crashed back into nothingness as the agony from his injuries caught up with his mind and intense fire raced through the nerve endings all over his crippled form._

* * *

Anakin was petrified, there was no other word for it Obi-Wan had been dragged away from him and now he was utterly alone with his thoughts which was somewhere nobody should be. _How could I do that? I nearly took another's life in anger?_ Anakin remembered the words drilled into him from day one in the temple, you must never act on your emotions they must always be controlled. He hung his head in shame remembering vividly the moment he almost broke all the vows he had sworn to uphold, the only thing that stopped him from carrying out the unspeakable act was his master's voice drifting through his stupor which allowed him to realise what he was doing and stop his barbaric actions before it was too late.

Of course that was the last thing he remembered for a while as Anakin had promptly passed out after releasing his hold on the force, when he came to a sight greeted him that would haunt his dreams for the rest of his life. Obi-Wan had been stabbed callously and lay bleeding against the wall with a knife at his throat ready to steal his life away. It was only Anakin's remembrance of the captain's one true fear that stopped the situation from becoming irreversible, still as Obi-Wan was dragged out of the cell and taken to another away from Anakin he thought it might already to be too late.

Looking back over at the wall there was already so much blood pooled on the floor, his master's blood, the sight nearly made Anakin retch up what little he had left in his stomach, Obi-Wan was in trouble.

Guards roughly grabbed his arms and produced a set of electro cuffs identical to the pair being worn by Obi-Wan at that very moment, after they had restrained him Anakin was left alone with his thoughts, he rushed forwards to the force field of the cell and peered out looking for Obi-Wan.

Directly across from Anakin's position was an identical cell holding his master, he looked bad. Blood was pooling slowly from Obi-Wan's midriff to stain the floor beneath him, he had been blindfolded and gagged so as to cut off any communication from his side. That didn't mean Anakin couldn't shout for all he was worth…

"Master! Please wake up! You can't sleep with the blood you are losing," Anakin desperately cried across to the other prison.

His efforts seemed useless as Obi-Wan didn't even flinch, he was out cold. Anakin wasn't stupid he could see how much blood his master had lost and he knew if he didn't do something then Obi-Wan would bleed out before they even got to their destination. Scrunching his eyes up he called on the force once again and reached out for his master's broken body and concentrated on the gaping hole in his body.

Anakin didn't really know what he was doing, he had been shown by Obi-Wan how to scan somebody for injuries and alleviate small scrapes but this was something else, Anakin could sense the damage the blade had wrought on his master's body and it made his rage rise all over again. Punctured lung, muscle damage, nerve damage, major blood loss, and that was just the knife wound let alone the other various ailments that riddled Obi-Wan's body.

Focusing on the gaping hole Anakin followed the guidance of the force and let it flow right through him towards Obi-Wan. He let every other thought in his head clear and fixated only on his master's wound. He imagined stemming the bleeding inside Obi-Wan's body and concentrated on the actual penetration of the skin, he imagined knitting the skin back together, well enough so that the hole was covered and continued to push the force across to the other prison.

His efforts were cutoff as the guard slammed his electro stick against the force field causing ripples and shockwaves to travel into the cell.

"You better not be doing no force trick! I have orders to punish this one if you do!" The guard blurted out gesturing in the direction of Obi-Wan's cell.

"No I'm just mediating I promise, I don't know to do force tricks without my master." Anakin made sure he put on an exaggerated childish voice so as to sound as non-threatening as possible to the guard.

They already believed that Obi-Wan was the reason that Anakin could perform 'force tricks' so what was the harm in letting them continue to think this, and if Anakin was honest if it weren't for his master then he wouldn't have been able to perform the tasks he had earlier, even if one of them had failed…

He shook himself as Obi-Wan's voice filtered through his thoughts _no brooding_ , it was what he had said earlier and Anakin had defended himself claiming he didn't brood, Obi-Wan of course turned out to be right as usual.

Looking over at Obi-Wan he noticed that the bleeding seemed to have slowed down considerably, good at least he had done something helpful with the force. He reached within the force again and started to scan his masters body, the more he delved into the endless currents of light the more drained Anakin started to feel himself. He remembered what Obi-Wan had said and realised he would have to rest soon or his body would simply shut down, he had been pushing it too much which was evidenced when he collapsed earlier.

Anakin stayed submerged long enough to take a quick update on Obi-Wan's injuries, the list almost made him throw up in his mouth; multiple broken ribs, sprained wrist, broken ribs, multiple lacerations, partly fractured leg, and then of course the various complications of the stab wound although the bleeding seemed to have been stemmed by Anakin's efforts.

He spent the next moments blinking rapidly fighting to stay conscious, frightfully aware that he had overdone it again. Seeing his master in such a state and him not being to help brought back some memories of an incident that had occurred shortly after Anakin had joined the Jedi where Obi-Wan had ended up close to death because of a stupid stunt he had pulled. Obi-Wan had been so angry when he found out what Anakin was up to that he swore he would be kicked out of the order there and then…

 _Anakin shivered as the cold temperatures of the Coruscant night brushed against his skin, he was situated on one of the lower levels in the capital and even though a lot of the area was sheltered it didn't stop the chill that raced up his spine._

 _At 10 years old Anakin was the youngest human to be participating in the sport that transpired deep in the bustling night life on the planet where the home of the Jedi temple was situated. He had been at the temple for nearly a year now and was finally getting used to the classes, way of living and of course the perilous turbulent relationship with his new master Obi-Wan Kenobi._

 _Anakin liked being Obi-Wan's apprentice he really did, that didn't mean he was going to make it easy on the man though, they had both lost someone very dear to their hearts when Anakin had joined the Jedi and they had both helped each other through the loss. Anakin couldn't complain Obi-Wan was a great Jedi, he was awesome with a saber, a trained diplomat and negotiator and extremely well read in tactics and many languages and texts. That didn't mean he was very good at keeping track of a young child however…_

 _Anakin smirked at his own genius, Obi-Wan had never been able to stop him from sneaking out of the temple, each time Anakin would employ a different tactic and fall right through his panicked master's fingers. Of course that didn't mean he wasn't caught, Obi-Wan was waiting for him every time he returned and never failed to dish out the appropriate punishment. Not that that mattered to Anakin, the punishment whatever it was, was worth the jaunts he managed to have outside of the security of the temple walls._

 _He had grown up a slave so coming to a world with so much going on and so many places to explore was quite obviously something he was going to explore, rules be damned he wanted to experience being free. Anakin sometimes felt bad about deceiving his master, he knew Obi-Wan must worry but he understood right? He needed to experience freedom now that he had it firmly within his grip, and Obi-Wan never stayed mad long enough to give Anakin anything to truly worry about. Anakin would make jokes and laugh with his master until he cheered up again so he wasn't truly doing anything wrong, well the council might think otherwise if they saw me now…_

 _Anakin stood muscles trembling slightly with the strain of carrying the flight wings on his back, he was kitted out with fuel powered hydraulic wings that were worn by a user and powered through the power pack slung over his shoulder. The movement in itself was theoretically simple, one only had to simply hold out their arms and squeeze a control in their hands to power the boosters attached to the hands. The direction the person travelled depended entirely on the direction of the burst emitted from the hand controls, as the race track was mostly falling with the gravitational currents of the power station for the planet's surface a lot of the race was navigated by the wings alone, well as well as body position._

 _It was deemed a high risk sport because of the ever changing energy variation occurring along the race tracks. Any fluctuation in the anti-gravitational currents zipping along the bottom of the pit meant the gravitational currents altered along the sides of the corridor, and the user had to change their position and wing span to compensate otherwise risk being shot it in an unpredictable direction, usually into the walls or down towards the electrically protected surface of the tunnels. Nobody wanted to be in that position which was why the first time Anakin had shown up to participate he was very nearly laughed off the planet. Most humans didn't have the reaction times to keep up with the ever changing gravitational fields and adjust their path and thrust direction, he was a Jedi though and a champion pod racer._

 _So with that Anakin had managed to survive every attempt he had made in the adrenaline filled sport, of course the other times had been on a much smaller scale and had fewer participants, these little facts didn't intimidate Anakin however he welcomed the challenge._

 _Anakin made sure the steering system was functional by squeezing on the delicate hand controls whilst directing them towards the floor and he was rewarded with an intense force projecting him slightly off of the ground. 'Wizard!'_

 _Glancing to his left he saw a couple of aliens that had heads shaped kind of like a T and long gangly arms which appeared to be webbed, 'that must help them with flying.'_

 _Next to them stood a figure that was fairly humanoid, the main difference was the legs were in no way proportion to the rest of it's body and the creature had no less than 6 eyeballs peppered over it's face. Anakin reeled back slightly as all of the eyeballs averted their sight to his frame and he looked away quickly focusing back on the task ahead, he would need all of his focus for this race._

 _For some reason Anakin was getting a very bad feeling about the upcoming race but simply placed it down to nerves, he was the best human his age at flying he could do this in his sleep!_

 _At the arbitrator's shout all the contestants circled the start point which just happened to be a gaping hole in the ground, Anakin too stepped to the edge until his tip toes were dangling and waited for the signal to go. Hairs stood up on end as he gazed down into the tunnel, he could feel, no, 'sense' the gravitational fluctuations and could see somewhere far down glimpses of an electrifying surface through the access panels of the bend in the tunnel. He felt mesmerised watching the flicks of purple sparks bubbling off of the surface and snapped his attention back to the here and now, there was no way he wanted to go anywhere near that electric field. Mesmerising or not it could have fatal implications. He noted the first bend in the track about 100 feet down the hole, he reached out with his feelings trying to sense the current in which to fall towards which would direct him safely around the arcing surface._

 _If Anakin didn't know better he could have sworn he heard his master's voice in the background before the start gun was fired and each contestant jumped head first into the gaping hole arms swinging out wide, stretching wings out ready to be caught by the gravitational currents._

 _All of Anakin's hair stood on end and his heart rate threatened to race right out of his chest as he fell head first into oblivion. Opening his arms up wide he emerged himself deep within the force sensing for the changes in the currents surrounding him on all sides. There on the right he glided towards the bottom of the bend and caught the current perfectly and was propelled along the now levelled surface at such velocity it made his teeth chatter. Anakin glided along the corridor safely away from the hazard of the pit below. He glimpsed the deadly electrical bolts in between gaps of the charged corridor which promised only pain._

 _It was a lot more crowded than the usual races and Anakin had to fight to avoid collisions with the other participants, grinning manically he threw his hands behind him and squeezed the hand controls, he was rewarded with an extra burst of speed throwing him towards the next bend in the tunnel, the route started to dip downwards which made catching the gravitational forces effortless._

 _Anakin became aware of another racer advancing on his position, the being was getting closer by the second and a fleeting thought raced through his mind 'what if he's going to try and sabotage me?' The figure which seemed oddly familiar started to rise above Anakin as if he was preparing to blast down on him from above, before Anakin could glance upwards to identify his would be attacker he heard something buckle in the power pack slung on his back._

 _It was at that horrifying moment when Anakin felt himself lose control of his flight path, panicking Anakin tried to press the controls in his hands with no avail, the power pack for his hand booster's was failing._

 _Dread welled up inside his stomach, there was no way he could complete the course without the power. He knew from his previous studies of the tunnels that there were many uphill sections that would be impossible to navigate without the aid of a set of fully powered hand controls. With that in mind Anakin steeled himself when after successfully riding on a gravitational current he saw an upward point coming up. The tunnel bent upwards at a 90 degree angle which could only possibly be navigated by the use of the hand controls to propel his body skyward before a deathly collision with the durasteel wall._

 _A hundred thoughts rushed through his mind at once all leading to the same conclusion, it was impossible for him to get up the next part of the course. He desperately glanced around his surroundings looking for any emergency exits or anything he could use to not get trapped on this level, none. Of course there weren't any exits people weren't meant to be down here with all the dangers this was an illegal race!_

 _As Anakin zoomed closer to the fateful section his thoughts raced through the possible outcomes of his upcoming collision, all of them seemed to lead to him falling uncontrollably towards his presumed death on the surface of the tunnel. Glancing down through the gaps in the paneling below he observed the surface was definitely still electrified and he couldn't help but notice the beauty of the purple forks of electricity dancing around._

 _Just as he was about to reach the point of no return a large body slammed into his form from above, gripping onto his arms and body the figure started to squeeze on his own hand controls making the pair glide upwards slightly. Anakin tried to twist round and just managed to take a peek at the being that had him in a bear hug, it was Obi-Wan!_

 _He looked for any warmth in his master's face but only saw indifference and detached concentration which were identified by the furrowing of his brows. Anakin went limp and stopped struggling as soon as he identified his supposed attacker, he thought for a split second someone had been trying to sabotage what was left of his wings just to add to all of his troubles!_

 _His mind rushed through all the reasons why his master was here and he couldn't really come up with anything that made much sense, how could Obi-Wan have known that Anakin would run into trouble down here? He had only just found out himself… Also how did he know where Anakin was? Maybe Anakin wasn't as good as he previously figured for sneaking out of the temple Obi-Wan could have followed him here._

 _He observed as his master's eyes scrunched up in concentration and filled with determination, not even sparing a glance down at Anakin. He had seen that face often enough to identify it as Obi-Wan's angry controlled glare, as Jedi weren't supposed to hold onto and express emotions his master always donned a controlled look when he was really peeved but Anakin had been on the receiving end many a time to recognise the unmistakable signs._

 _His head snapped back to face front as they hurtled towards the ascending bend in the tunnel, when they got near enough Anakin felt himself being dragged upwards by Obi-Wan noting his master was squeezing his own hand controls tightly, just before he would have slammed into the wall. He cried out in pain however as his face and skin grated along the grooves of the wall, Obi-Wan had tried his best to direct them up as soon as possible but these wings weren't designed to hold more than one person and the power exerted by the hand controls were being put under great strain with having to force them both skyward._

 _Painstaking moments later they moved a few inches away from the side of the corridor and mercifully the tunnel levelled out slightly meaning they could rely on a gravitational current to speed them along the shaft with such velocity it made Anakin's eyes water. He felt Obi-Wan's arms stiffen around him as he glanced up ahead and spotted yet another point where they would have to travel upwards!_

 _Anakin would have never made it this far and sent a wave of gratitude along with a heavy dose of remorse along the training bond he shared with his master, he never intended on any of this happening and just wanted to get back to the temple in one piece with his master._

 _"I'll get you out of here, Anakin, the punishment for this little adventure will be severe I warn you now," his master half growled back in his ear sensing Anakin's thoughts._

 _Anakin remembered Obi-Wan HATED flying and here he was being forced to participate in what was most probably his worst nightmare just to bail his troublesome padawan out of mischief again. Yep Anakin knew he was in deep poodo when they got out of here but he didn't care he just wanted out._

 _At the last thought he felt Obi-Wan affectionately squeeze his arm and send reassurances of his own across their bond, Anakin trusted his master implicitly and was comforted somewhat with him being here with him._

 _That particular thought however was quite fleeting as Obi-Wan tried punching the hand controls to direct them up for the next segment and it became obvious quite quickly that they weren't going to make the much steeper section. Anakin watched in horror as Obi-Wan placed himself in front of Anakin and when they rocketed into the wall he shielded Anakin from the brunt of the impact._

 _It took a long time for Anakin to forget the scream he heard that day erupt from Obi-Wan's lips, he heard more than sensed multiple bones crack as his master crashed into the unforgiving metal, they were travelling at such a blazing speed that the force exerted on Obi-Wan's body must have been immense. It didn't help when Anakin went careering into his body too and he gasped out in distress at hitting a solid object at such velocity._

 _When Anakin crashed into Obi-Wan his master appeared to pass out, a quick scan revealed multiple shattered bones, severe concussion and several nicked organs. The next second they were hurtling downwards at an alarming rate towards the bottom of the tunnel, where the electric field was. They fell through one of the open access panels and left behind the relative safety of the race track above where the roaring sound of the competition continued._

 _Anakin glanced around earnestly looking for any weakness in the field, any points of the surface that weren't covered with traversing electric bolts. Banishing the pain from his mind he continued to seek any point they could exploit, out of the corner of his eye Anakin noticed a tiny area where one of the electric posts seemed to be ineffective. The force was with them!_

 _Anakin grabbed hold of his master's unconscious body and tried to direct their fall to the ineffective area, it was quite tricky but eventually Anakin and Obi-Wan were directly above the point. Now time to slow their descent, Anakin reached deep within the force and imagined forming a protective bubble around his and Obi-Wan's hurtling bodies._

 _He remembered the lessons Obi-Wan had given him about cushioning a fall, that was on a much smaller scale though and not with another person to worry about! Chiding himself for thinking on the negatives Anakin once again concentrated on the task at hand, Obi-Wan needed him he had come down here to save Anakin even at grave risk to himself, Anakin was damned if he wasn't going to try his upmost to return the gesture._

 _With renewed convictions Anakin concentrated harder and felt the force flow and augment around his and Obi-Wan's forms. Ultimately the two hurtling bodies made contact with the surface, it was enough to force the two apart even with Anakin's best efforts of saving his master's body anymore injuries._

 _Pain blinded down his right side where he had taken the brunt of the impact in what was an awkward landing, the force had alleviated a lot of the shock which was something to be thankful for and neither of them seemed to have been electrocuted as of yet. Not taking this for granted Anakin set to work, he checked over Obi-Wan and satisfied that he was still breathing set about getting them both out of the tunnel, his master needed medical attention pronto Anakin had heard the bones smash earlier._

 _Shaking himself away from the thought he unclipped the fuel line from Obi-Wan's ruined wings and cannibalised parts from it until he was satisfied that his own electrical problems had been fixed. It looked as if some of his controls had fused and he definitely didn't have enough power to use the hand controls to carry the two of them out of there._

 _A short amount of time later however the remaining power was transferred over from Obi-Wan's and they were ready to attempt a last ditched escape plan, Anakin grabbed his masters form and prepared to fly upwards being careful not to jostle as many bones as he could. Holding out both arms to his sides and with palms facing downwards he clamped his hands on the controls and felt his feet lift off of the ground._

 _Thankfully Anakin's mechanical manipulations gave the pair the power to rise out of the dingy underworld of Coruscant's lower levels, Anakin had never concentrated as hard as he did in that tunnel in his life. He had just one thought on his mind to get Obi-Wan out of that horrible place._

 _As soon as they touched the surface Anakin had acquired a close by speeder with a frivolous use of the force he would no doubt later have to explain and had Obi-Wan in the passenger seat ready to rush off to the temple. He didn't obey any of the traffic laws in his haste and got a fair few rude hand signals as he rushed past the heavy traffic of the city._

 _Eventually they made it to the temple's docking platform and Anakin had managed to communicate ahead with the details of Obi-Wan's condition so they were met by a full blown medical team, they thought Anakin was over exaggerating over the comms but as soon as they laid eyes on Obi-Wan he was whisked off to the healers ward._

 _Anakin would never forget the next few days before his master regained consciousness, he had to be submerged in a bacta tank for a full day along with rigorous jaunts with the bone knitter machine to heal the smashed and cracked bones littered inside his body. The healers were surprised Obi-Wan had managed to hang on with all the internal injuries that were caused after the impact. Anakin waited by his master's bedside day after day praying he would just open his eyes. They managed to heal all of the internal injuries and now it was just a case of waiting until Obi-Wan would wake up._

 _On the third day he was rewarded with a slight fluttering of the eyes that drew his attention towards Obi-Wan's face, he leaned forward waiting for a sign that Obi-Wan was returning to the land of the living. He grinned wickedly as his master's panicked eyes met his and softened a small smile tugging at his lips._

 _"Master, I'm so sorry I swear I won't ever do that again!"_

 _Obi-Wan's throat was understandably dry so when he tried to speak it came out as nothing more than a croak after Anakin helped him drink some water he tried again._

 _"Well I'm glad I taught you something after ending up in this force forsaken place again, don't think I won't come up with a very imaginative punishment for this though." Obi-Wan smiled as the last of his exclamation sunk in on Anakin's face._

 _"I don't care, Master, all I care about is that you're back." Anakin leapt forward and embraced Obi-Wan in a bone crushing hug only changing his posture when he felt the laboured breathing beneath._

 _He relaxed as Obi-Wan's hand landed on his head and ruffled it affectionately, they both stayed there for hours and Anakin eventually fell asleep leaning against Obi-Wan's chest whilst Obi-Wan fell asleep with his arm still draped over Anakin's small form._

Glancing over at Obi-Wan again Anakin wished he was close enough to curl up against his master, since that day he hadn't seen his master so vulnerable and broken and definitely wasn't enjoying it any more this time than he had a year ago waiting at his bed side. After the short break Anakin started to renew his efforts for healing Obi-Wan's wounds, if he could alleviate some of the pain and internal bleeding then hopefully his master wouldn't be in such danger.

 _I won't let them hurt you again, Master, I promise…_ Anakin vowed this to himself, even if he had to take on all these guys he would try and conserve his energy so he could protect Obi-Wan.

* * *

Obi-Wan knew he was back in the cell again well conscious anyway, any slight movement was rewarded with a sharp pain as the spikes on the wire surrounding his limbs dug into his skin causing him to moan into the gag stuffed in his mouth. Of course opening his eyes this time didn't elicit any more than darkness and was quite annoyingly itchy on his skin.

Strangely the wound in his stomach seemed to have stopped bleeding, he couldn't feel the blood pooling underneath him getting any bigger and it seemed to somehow cause him less agony than it had the last time he was conscious.

Obi-Wan tried reaching out with the force seeing if he had subconsciously started healing some of his injuries but was miffed and befuddled as he was once again rebuffed from the force. There was nothing there nothing to grab on to, so if he hadn't healed his body then who? _Anakin…_

His theory was confirmed as the unmistakable feeling of the force was thrust into his injured side and went about flowing through his insides where Obi-Wan was sure they was at least some internal bleeding. He embraced the warmth and feeling as the force circulated around him and started to take the edge off the knife wound, he didn't think Anakin could surprise him anymore today his use of the force was quite honestly astounding.

Obi-Wan basked in the feeling for a few moments before projecting to Anakin to cease his efforts, he felt the wound was no longer life threatening and even though the pain in his head and ribs were excruciating he couldn't risk Anakin collapsing over exertion he wouldn't be able to help! _Thank you, Padawan, you must stop now I don't want you over exerting yourself and collapsing it's very dangerous to use the amount of advanced force techniques you have in one sitting in such conditions._

Obi-Wan felt the presence pull away and reluctantly said goodbye to the bliss that was the force surrounding him, he felt someone scan his body and realised Anakin wouldn't take his answer as gospel he wanted to check for himself that Obi-Wan's injury was no longer critical. After a few moments a content sigh reached his ears from the other cell and Obi-Wan settled his head down against the floor again starting some mental exercises to try and keep his mind off of the throbbing pain wracking his abused body.

He longed for Anakin to be with him, any comfort would be much appreciated but alas they had been separated as they were deemed dangerous together. Obi-Wan had to settle to listening out for his apprentice's breathing and was content to know he was okay.

His thoughts soon drifted back to the upcoming meeting with the force user and he shuddered, it couldn't be long until the rendezvous now and something was telling Obi-Wan that indeed yes the daunting meeting would happen very very soon…

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 **Thank you for your feedback, interest and patience! As you can see by the end things are about to be kicked up a notch or two... All will be revealed, well maybe not all... :D**

 **See you all in a week!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Thank you for all the interest and feedback it's much appreciated. As promised here is the next instalment where things pick up a little. Enjoy!**

 **YumikoWantsCake - First up would like to thank you immensely for continually reviewing and offering feedback it really brings a smile to my face :D Hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the last!**

* * *

Obi-Wan was awoken abruptly as a legion of forceful hands gripped his arms and started to haul him up off of the biting dura steel floor he had taken solace in. Grunting sharply into the filthy rag still stuffed into his mouth he felt the spiked wire surrounding his form starting to be unwound. They were unsurprisingly not careful at all and essentially ripped the wire where it had clung to his skin, eliciting further moans and opening up yet more holes in his already peppered skin.

The knife wound in his side was tender and inflamed but was at a much more manageable pain level since his padawan's healing efforts. Obi-Wan was eternally grateful for the support, he honestly didn't think he would still be here if Anakin hadn't been there to alleviate the critical nature of the injury it had done a lot of damage indeed.

He seemed to sense more of his surroundings this time around, Anakin must have tried to take the edge off his concussion. He mentally noted to thank his young padawan as soon as he was able to see him again, _That is if we're heading somewhere together…_ His thoughts were answered as he heard a struggle start to ensue a short distance away and assumed Anakin was still too angry at their captors to cooperate fully.

Painstaking moments later all of the wire was removed from his limbs and he was hauled to his feet in such haste it made his head spin again. Obi-Wan swayed dangerously teetering on shaky legs almost too quickly for his captors to catch him before his body sailed downwards once again. The jab he got after not being able to stay on his feet was directed viciously at the area of cracked ribs and Obi-Wan once again cried out into the gag as the bones jostled his insides and sent waves of pain careering along nerve endings.

"Move it!" A voice barked from behind him alongside a helpful jolt towards what he was assuming was the doorway. Without access to the force the Jedi had very little feeling of his surroundings, well as well as the thick blindfold which cut out even the slightest whisper of light.

Obi-Wan tried to find his footing but his limbs hadn't been used for a lengthy time and they were not up to supporting him for any more than a few steps especially with the suspected fracture he could feel. Realisation hit as his legs gave way and he went careering down headed for the unforgiving, very solid ground. A fresh scream escaped his bruised lips only somewhat muffled by the rag in his mouth, the impact had ripped open the knife wound once again as he felt warm blood start to trickle through the front of his ruined tunic. _Not good._

"Stop it! Stop hurting him he's not doing anything to you!" Anakin's distressed voice tumbled towards his ears and he heard a restraining scuffle as the boy was held down.

Only after a swift kick to Obi-Wan's damaged leg, which shot fierce pain through his body, did the pirates pick his body up again by the arms and started to haul him along the corridor. Obi-Wan found this more than uncomfortable especially as his legs were left to be dragged along the floor which sent new waves of agony throughout his body whenever he was jostled, which was a lot on their journey along the corridors.

He was positively exhausted, the exertion of trying to stand and walk had definitely taken its toll on him. Obi-Wan chalked it mostly down to blood loss which would also explain the dizziness getting worse the further they travelled. Letting his head hang against his chest Obi-Wan concentrated on getting the disorientating feeling out of his mind and hoped for the pounding in his skull to reduce to a more manageable level.

"Where are you taking us?" His apprentice all but barked, trust Anakin to be inquisitive enough to risk asking the irritated crew questions.

"You kid are off to meet the count, and good karking riddance to the both of you," the guard on Obi-Wan's right gruffly replied shaking Obi-Wan slightly as he was addressed.

Obi-Wan racked his brain trying to think of any connection, any memory in his muddled brain of an encounter with a count yet he could think of none. The newest slither of information only added to the questions whirring round his mind all trying to decipher the identity of the man they were imminently meeting.

Right turn, straight ahead 50 meters, left turn, arcing corridor, sharp left over what felt like a boarding hatch, abrupt left shift until the men holding his arms slowed considerably.

His previous suspicion of passing onto another ship was backed up by the change in environment, the gravity seemed slightly lighter and the air was clearer a much welcome change to the dingy stale air in the cells where they had been imprisoned.

Before he could think any more on these revelations the iron hold grip his captors had on his arms dropped and he crashed painfully to his knees evoking yet another low groan whilst the fierceness of the shock subsided. He let his head bow forwards to rest against the freezing floor and focused on bringing his laboured breathing under control, however he wasn't given much time as the hands belonging to his guards gripped either shoulder tightly and hauled him upwards so he was kneeling.

Obi-Wan listened out for his padawan and was rewarded with another smaller body, most likely belonging to Anakin, dropped onto the floor beside him. It was more than a little frustrating not being able to see or sense anything in the room, _was the count here?_ His query was essentially answered as Anakin's breathing seemed to still and the room went eerily still, Obi-Wan could feel the tension start to rise force or no force. There were many quickening heart rates and anger seemed to cloud over all of the surroundings of the new room, his head ceased to feel like it was detached which let Obi-Wan's thought processes quicken slightly, Anakin must have recognised someone in the room. _He's here…_

"What is the meaning of this?"

The baritone voice drawled, dangerous displeasure evident in every syllable that rolled off the count's tongue. The tone sent shivers up Obi-Wan's spine as he felt the outrage roll off of the new arrival's lips. Everything seemed to go silent for what felt like millennia until the squeaky voice of Skepaf finally piped up.

"My lord? We have the Jedi here as promised."

"I asked for the Jedi unharmed and you bring me this!"

The retort was snapped with such venom that Obi-Wan visibly heard the captain step back a few paces and his heart rate threatened to race right out of his chest. Obi-Wan flinched as the hands gripping him started to claw into his skin as terrified owners took in the scene in front of them, _which I still can't kriffin see._ He was miffed and generally bored of not being able to see or sense any of the happenings occurring.

As if the count had read Obi-Wan's mind the next instruction barked out was to remove the blind fold and gag that still inhibited his senses. _He probably did, after all he must be a force user…_

Trembling hands struggled with the knots of both items and shakily tried to pry apart the tight entanglement on the both, after a few more unnecessary shakes of his head the offending items were finally removed and the first thing Obi-Wan did was cough for all he was worth, it was wonderful being able to gulp in large amounts of fresh air again what he wouldn't do for some water. Shaking himself mentally and refocussing on the situation at hand he blearily opened his eyes blinking vigorously as the blinding white light of the room hit his iris's.

Shapes and colours were blurry for a few moments and Obi-Wan spent some time trying to bat away the fuzziness until subject matter became clear again. His eyes sought the man that had been the cause of all of his pain, of Anakin's pain and they finally settled on a looming figure situated no more than a few yards away from the pair.

Obi-Wan became aware most eyes in the room were directed towards him and his skin crawled with all the attention, the counts eyes bore into his own and Obi-Wan's breath stilled as he saw such ferocious irascibly glitter the man's dark dead set eyes. Obi-Wan hadn't expected the man to look, well look so _old_ , grey hair covered his head and face but somehow his age didn't depreciate from the dominating aura he gave off.

"They tried to escape I had to set an exam-"

Whatever the captain was going to finish with was lost as Obi-Wan's head whipped round just in time to observe Skepaf's hands struggle with an invisible force closing in around his neck. One very dangerous death promising look from the count had all of Skepaf's guards retreat backwards and hands move away from their blasters.

Obi-Wan sat horrified as the life essence was slowly squeezed out from Skepaf's form, his usual towering body was ground to nothing with the count in the room who exuded dominance and power with every fibre of his being, Obi-Wan gulped _and darkness._

As if broken out of a trance the count's arm dropped down to his side again and the room was filled with an awful retching sound as Skepaf had full access to his airways again, _that was close_ , Obi-Wan knew the captain had been on the very edge there, much more than he had with Anakin. _Anakin!_ How could he have let this new development be such a distraction he whipped his head back around to his young padawan and was relieved when he couldn't spot any more bruises.

The boy was frozen solid however, expression schooled into a pure mix of anger, revulsion, horror and all out terror. He waited until Anakin met his gaze and tried to offer any sense of comfort by projecting the thought of a mental hug and an apology for not being be able to scoop him up and hide these nightmares from burying their place in his memories. He was rewarded with a slight smile and a softened look, followed by a very scrutinising concerned gaze which covered his entire body, he was scanning him again looking for any more injuries. The frown accompanied afterwards confirmed Obi-Wan's own suspicions, some if not all of his previous wounds Anakin had painstakingly poured force energy into had opened up and were causing problems again.

Glancing down to his own tunic he finally saw the true extent of the knife wound that had been inflicted upon him, _and this is after healing…_ To say it was a mess would be gravely under exaggerating the situation, there was a gaping hole in the skin which was a bloody disarray, seeing it like this made the pain from the wound spike. He had been oblivious to how awful it had looked and quite honestly seeing it almost made him throw up all over the floor. When he raised his head again to glance around the room he noted the count observing the two with an odd look on his face as if cataloguing something for future reference.

Obi-Wan could still hear the captain's anguished wheezing as he tired desperately to rub his bruised larynx, hyperventilating slightly at his near death experience by none other than thin air. The count slowly headed towards Obi-Wan's position taking very measured steps and not breaking eye contact for any moment during the short journey. Obi-Wan stiffened as a hand shot out and rested on his head, he instinctively tried shaking his head out of the grasp but was only regarded with a faint low chuckle and the count held him still with a force grasp as if he was an initiate. This man was definitely strong in the force Obi-Wan could sense it, the thing that made his hairs stand on end as they did however was the recognition of the strength, it stemmed from the dark side…

The count closed his eyes in concentration and Obi-Wan gasped as he felt him invade his mind, his memories. Without the use of the force there was very little he could do to stop the dark siders assault on his mind, every barrier he tried to throw up was forcibly torn down with such brutality that it left Obi-Wan reeling. The man picked through his brain as if it was an open book, seeing everything he wanted feeling everything he was searching for.

Then something unexpected happened, he felt himself being checked over for his injuries again but this wasn't Anakin, this felt experienced as if the user had performed the action hundreds of times. As much as he still wanted to rip himself from the count's grip he couldn't help but feel grateful for the comfort flooding through his system as force healing energies were thrust into his most prominent injuries.

It more than took the edge off, it actually gave relief in some places such as mercifully his head. He let out a relieved sigh as for the first time in hours he didn't have a constant throbbing in his skull. When the count was finished Obi-Wan opened his eyes and stared into the man's face, his eyes were threatening to bubble over with intense anger which made Obi-Wan shiver as chills raced down his spine.

The count's expression then schooled into something of wonder which made Obi-Wan even more nervous to be under the man's intense scrutiny.

"Qui always said you were strong in the force." The man muttered the remark so quietly that Obi-Wan had to think twice if he had even heard it.

Before he could utter any sort of retort or remark the count was back up on his feet again and swiftly moved away from the Jedi towards the fallen form of Skepaf. He stopped just short of the quivering form of the captain and lifted one hand until the fallen pirate was back on his feet again. Obi-Wan watched in awe as he felt the storm around the counts body started to clash once again, he was livid and everyone in the room knew it.

"I'm sorry…. I'm…" The choked whisper from Skepaf was swiftly cut short with a titled head from the count, he was not in the mood for grovelling.

In a flash a cylindrical object flew off of the captain's belt from underneath his cloak, it took Obi-Wan a few seconds to identify the object from this distance _my light saber!_

He immediately had a very bad feeling about this and glancing back at Anakin it seemed his young charge seemed to feel it too. His eyes were glued to the scene unfolding, terror dripping from him _this count must be projecting some very dark thoughts_.

Obi-Wan's head whipped back around to the scene as the count's deep voice echoed around the room threateningly low as he snarled at Skepaf.

"You are not worthy to wield such a weapon!"

Obi-Wan watched in pure horror mouth agape as without another warning _his_ light saber's blue hue lit up the room before being thrust into the captain's chest.

"No!" Thinking back he didn't know if that was he or Anakin who roared out, the quite frankly late, objection. Of course it made little difference as they all witnessed the count snarl something into the captain's ear and the blue light descended back into the hilt.

Everyone watched reeling at the captain's last moments of life as he struggled to remain on his feet, mouth gaping open trying to form words that would not come. He crashed back with such force that Obi-Wan felt the vibrations through his knees on the floor, the gasping dying breaths emitting from the captain's form were truly awful. Obi-Wan continued to gaze until he saw Skepaf's life force leave him, and he finally threw up whatever was left in his stomach followed closely by the sound of his padawan doing the same.

He ended up dry heaving as the gruesome murder finally tipped his delicate control of his insides over the edge, he wished Anakin hadn't seen that he should have ordered him to close his eyes or something. Obi-Wan had seen many horrors in his time but cold blooded murder was always something that rattled him more than most, especially as witnessing such a heinous crime and having no power to do anything about it, thinking that a 12 year old boy had just been forced to watch it nearly made Obi-Wan sick all over again.

The weapon that had killed Skepaf was _his_ light saber, the very same weapon he had trained with all these years, saved lives with, all in the name of peace and in the defence of innocents. The knowledge that it had been used for _this_ hollowed Obi-Wan out to the very core, how dare this man desecrate such a sacred weapon, a sacred promise to the entire galaxy with an act so brazen he seemed to shrug off the whole thing with indifference.

A light saber was a Jedi's life, an extension of themselves. All the symbols it had stood for had just been extinguished with a single brutal attack on an unarmed man, whether the man was a nice one or not did not even come into the equation. No living being deserved what just happened to Skepaf, Obi-Wan had long since released his anger towards the captain and now just felt an overwhelming sense of sadness and guilt. He should have been able to stop this, he was a Jedi and his weapon had been used to slay an innocent being.

Anger started to well up inside him all directed at the count who at a glance had completely forgotten the execrable murder he had just committed and was directing his men around as if business was usual, _how dare he?!_ The men in question started to drag Skepaf's cauterised body back onto the other ship and the remainder of Skepaf's crew scurried back out of the room as fast as their legs would carry them, wishing to get as far away from the count's wrath as they could.

Before Obi-Wan could hold his tongue harsh words came tumbling out of his mouth in a much more steady voice than he expected.

"Who are you?" He all but yelled.

The count seemed to note the anger and Obi-Wan noticed a slight smile tugging at the older man's lips, he quickly worked on dissipating some of the rage that was threatening to well up in his mind.

"My name is Count Dooku." He mockingly bowed his head and went back to speak to his men leaving Obi-Wan and Anakin relatively alone.

Obi-Wan gazed down at his young apprentice and was shocked to see the boys gaze hadn't left the spot where Skepaf was murdered, his skin had a deathly white pallor to it which made his blue eyes stick out in contrast.

"Anakin, Anakin, are you alright?" Obi-Wan spoke as softly as possible hoping not to startle the boy, he was obviously in shock.

A gentle nudge to his shoulder had Anakin's panicked eyes dance around until they met Obi-Wan's tears brimming at the corner of his eyes.

"I… I…" He couldn't say anymore and hung his head to face the floor trying oh so desperately to hold back the flood gate of tears threatening to overwhelm him.

"Ani, I know that was awful to see, I'm so sorry I couldn't stop you from seeing it." Obi-Wan soon too felt tears threaten the corners of his vision, seeing Anakin in such an uncontrolled state and not being able to offer comfort was almost harder than witnessing the brutal murder in the first place.

Anakin sniffed in acknowledgement eyes not leaving the floor so Obi-Wan thought it was best to let him try and compose himself before he tried contact again. He thought back to the name he had just been offered, _Dooku,_ the more he thought the graver the situation they had found themselves in became, he knew that name from the temple…

He felt Dooku smile slightly as the cogs in his brain worked double time and all the dots connected, _no it couldn't be…_ There was only possibility staring him in the face, Qui-Gon's master was named Dooku and Obi-Wan had heard rumours trickle down in the temple when a very highly revered Jedi master stepped down from the order just weeks after Qui-Gon's death.

This man was an ex-Jedi! The thought angered Obi-Wan nearly to the point of no return, and to think he had still used Obi-Wan's saber to exact the worst crime even with knowledge of the meaning of the sacred symbol and how it would affect Obi-Wan was unforgivable. Before he could control his tongue a single word lashed from his mouth aimed savagely at the monster in the room.

"Traitor!"

"Master Kenobi, you disappoint me, Qui-Gon always spoke very highly of you especially when it came to your impudence towards seniors. Surely you can do better?" Dooku smirked through the speech obviously intending on antagonising Obi-Wan further, for some reason he liked to see Obi-Wan angry.

So Obi-Wan did the thing that would anger Dooku and didn't reply although it took all of his control not too. _How dare he bring Qui-Gon into this! He would be ashamed of his old master…_ At the thought he saw Dooku smirk slightly and realised his mind was still being read like an open book, he threw up as many mental shields as he could and barged the count out of his mind. Obi-Wan then set about taking a deep breath and tried to centre himself again, he would not let this animal unbalance him again. The nagging question on Obi-Wan's mind was what did an ex-Jedi want with them? And more importantly what pushed him over the edge to the dark side?

Anakin made himself known again, Obi-Wan had noticed his head shoot up at the mention of Qui-Gon's name. He witnessed realisation draw upon Anakin's face as he too realised who the man standing in front of them was.

"But you were a Jedi! Why are you doing this?!" Unchecked emotion laced Anakin's raged voice, anger and confusion being the two most prominent emotions.

Dooku stared down at Anakin with a rather predatory look that Obi-Wan did not like one bit, it quite honestly made his skin crawl.

"Really, Obi-Wan, I thought you would have instilled more manners in the boy, not to worry we can soon fix that," grinned Dooku manically eyebrows raised.

"You won't touch him," Obi-Wan growled back voice laced with the promise of retribution if Dooku hurt Anakin.

This only seemed to make Dooku's grin widen and he chuckled to himself before moving away from the two prisoners. Before Obi-Wan could think any more on the matter he was hauled upright by Dooku's men alongside Anakin, his vision swam with the sudden movement and his still fractured leg threatened to give out from underneath him.

The men wasted no time in dragging the two further into the bowels of their new transport, the more his ribs and bones were shaken the harder it was for Obi-Wan not to cry out in pain. He settled for gasping as a rather close near fall had his insides shifting again thankfully the guards reached out to catch him before he crashed to the floor again. When he raised his head to see why they weren't moving forwards anymore he noted Dooku giving a needle to one of the men, the liquid looked to be clear but Obi-Wan didn't want anymore of that kriffin force inhibitor pumped into his body. Not to mention the awful feeling it invoked, it also made all of his injuries thrice more agonising than without it, so like a cornered Wookie Obi-Wan fought for all he was worth in the grips of the men.

Dooku lazily lifted his hand and he felt a tremendous force exerted on his mind, his body, his will. Obi-Wan still managed a meek struggle, fighting against the force action as well as the men holding him but eventually the inevitable came and the needle was forcibly stabbed into his thigh and the plunger pressed.

He only had a few more conscious thoughts before the drug took over and started to fall backwards into the strong grip holding him, _must have mixed in anaesthetic as well…_

Distantly he heard Dooku issue more instructions to have Anakin taken to a cell and Obi-Wan to the med bay to be patched up, the sturdy bulk of the ship faded into nothingness as a calm fell over Obi-Wan's body and he felt himself being picked up off the floor. _Funny this time there didn't seem to be so much pain…_ and with that Obi-Wan fell back into the recesses of his tormented mind.

* * *

 **Well that's it for this week, hope you all enjoyed the entrance of the employer I really enjoyed writing him :) Now the question is what are his plans? Don't worry thats the main focus of the next segment of this story! Next chapter should be up next weekend as always. Until next time...**


	12. Chapter 12

**It's been a very busy week so I apologise this hasn't been up sooner! Hope you all enjoy the next instalment and thanks again for the interest and feedback in this story!**

 **YumikoWantsCake - Once again my faithful reader thank you for your feedback :D Ah yes it was meant to be a bit ambiguous as to who the actual employer was! Obi-Wan gets some much needed rest in this chapter! Sorry about the wait since the last one hope you enjoy this chapter!**

 **Annie Walker - Thank you for your response :D Really glad you're enjoying the story! Ah yes that would have been the problem with using Sideous and nobody wants Obi-Wan to die! haha. Dooku was partly establishing a connection to ascertain the damage and see for himself what had been occurring on their journey to him. All will become clear in regards to your questions, well at least clearer anyways! Sorry I haven't been able to update until now I've had a hell of a lot of assignments and work due at uni! Anyway I hope you enjoy this chapter :)**

 **Francine - Thank you very much for your feeback :) Glad you are enjoying the story, and yes it is now the weekend! so here ya go!**

* * *

 _Obi-Wan lifted his head from his hands as he heard the footfall of a figure approach. He was back in the room of a thousand fountains, back at the Jedi temple and was enjoying immensely the calmness and peace the setting evoked. He glanced up at the figure that looked like Qui-Gon and sighed heavily, he was sick of arguing with his mind it was ridiculous!_

 _Qui-Gon held up his hands in mock surrender and plastered a grin on his face that very effectively disarmed Obi-Wan, 'his Qui-Gon had done that too…' The bitter reminder forced a sad smile to tug at his lips, taking solace in the happier memories of his past._

 _"May I?" The figure asked indicating the empty space next to the bench in which Obi-Wan was perched._

 _"By all means." Obi-Wan nodded indicating the man was okay to proceed, he chuckled even his own mind was so darn polite._

 _Qui-Gon drifted over slowly and plopped himself down onto the seat beside Obi-Wan stretching out his long legs as they were too bunched up under the low seat. 'My Qui-Gon did that too…' He shook himself mentally as the familiar movements and characterisations were played out so realistically before his own eyes that it could really have been Qui-Gon sat beside him._

 _They both sat in content silence for some time, eyes closed almost in meditating states listening to the rhythmic fall of the water crashing in the distance. The familiarity of the situation threatened to engulf Obi-Wan in heartache, how many times had he and Qui-Gon sat here and meditated too? Steeling himself he almost angered again at his own mind for invoking such emotions, the feelings he felt over his master definitely had never been resolved, and having them brought to the surface so vividly was almost too much._

 _"Is there a reason you didn't scamper away from me this time?" Qui-Gon asked calmly his eyes remaining closed and head leant back._

 _"I could use the company, even if it is with my own mind. Anything I do here obviously isn't going to change my situation so I might as well just accept it, besides I am quite an agreeable person so it shouldn't be too much of a problem," Obi-Wan replied nonchalantly a smirk spreading across his face._

 _Qui-Gon snorted and let out a howl of laughter into the room which echoed through the space, this really was getting too much. The more he spoke to the figure the more he started to feel as if he wasn't talking to himself, this man was just as Obi-Wan remembered. Quickly dismissing the thought as impossible he looked away from the impending figure determined to not let his emotions get the better of him. The deep baritone chuckle continued as Obi-Wan closed his eyes reveling in the sound again, it felt like a millennia had passed since he had heard it._

 _"Only 'you' would say your own company is agreeable, Padawan, I know how you brood." Qui-Gon spoke making sure to emphasise the word you, not realising the effects of him using the term padawan._

 _That was the tipping point, Obi-Wan couldn't hold back the flood gate over his emotions anymore, that word with so much meaning so much affection made all of the memories of his master's demise spring to the forefront of his mind. Clutching his head he tried to think of something else, anything else rather than having to relive that harrowing memory of Qui-Gon perishing in his arms. He shook with sobs hunching forwards nearly losing purchase on the seat, his cries and screams of unburied emotions filled the previously peaceful air._

 _Strong arms grabbed his, he didn't resist as Qui-Gon embraced him with such ferocity they both almost fell off of the bench. Obi-Wan flung his arms around the older man's neck and sobbed uncontrollably into his chest, the images of the moments just before Qui-Gon's impalement still vividly playing back in his mind._

 _"No please no, I can't watch this," He muttered almost incoherently._

 _Qui-Gon had obviously heard his desperate plea as he gripped Obi-Wan tighter and rubbed his back soothingly, just as the Sith was about to impale Qui-Gon he felt a hand on his head and the memory abruptly stopped. In its place a flicker of memories played through his mind at alarming speed, the moment Qui-Gon had plaited his learner braid for the first time, dinner visits with Jedi master Tahl, sparring with his master, messing around in the fountains with his friends and being caught by Qui-Gon who proceeded to pummel him with waves of water! Cooking alongside his master whilst enjoying banter in their quarters…_

 _The flashes of happy times continued to hurtle through his mind at an alarming speed until his grip loosened slightly on Qui-Gon and his tears had transformed into cries of joy and laughter over the particularly humorous memories, especially the very vivid image of Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan being chased by some very disgruntled tribe members on one mission and falling down a very muddy hill, the striking image of the two Jedi caked head to toe in filthy dirt nearly had him in hysterics. The hand pulled away finally and settled on his shoulder._

 _Obi-Wan pulled away from Qui-Gon's chest sniffling slightly, he looked up into the kind eyes of his master and saw a faint sadness creeping at the edge of his features._

 _"Thank you." That was all he could say, all that needed saying. Logically his mind was telling him that none of this was real but for once Obi-Wan ignored the logic and just simply enjoyed the moment._

 _As if Qui-Gon had picked up on his inner thoughts a broad grin plastered itself on Qui-Gon's face and he squeezed Obi-Wan's shoulder affectionately._

 _"My pleasure, Obi-Wan."_

 _He laid his head back against Qui-Gon's chest and closed his eyes, content with living in the moment without the implication of consequence or anguish. He listened to the steady heart beat radiating from Qui-Gon's chest and breathed in rhythm with it. Gradually a similarly rhythmic beeping sound started to seep into his mind, slowly but surely the surroundings of the gardens faded away…_

* * *

A steady beeping harassed his hearing when he finally returned to the corporeal world, the next thing his senses were assaulted with was the overwhelming stench of bacta. Obi-Wan cracked his eyes open slowly anticipating blinding white lights, as his eye sight adjusted his worst fears were realised. _I'm in a med bay…_ He groaned at the thought, Obi-Wan had always hated med bays ever since he was an initiate. Force knows he'd spent enough time in them, far too much. He didn't know if it was the smell of medical ointments, the sight of surgical machines or just the association with pain that made him hate them so. Thinking back on that probably a mixture of all he mused.

Just as he had finished adjusting to the light levels in the room was his vision assaulted by a flash light held by a very over eager droid. Obi-Wan went to bat the thing away when horrifying realisation dawned on him, he was very thoroughly restrained so subsequently the droid was allowed to continue its examination.

The light was shone in both eye's whilst the droids mechanical fingers held his eyelids open, he knew the thing was checking for lasting effects of concussion but he could have done with a warning before the wretched thing was shoved in his face!

"Slight sluggish reactions to both pupils, prognosis: likely after effect of severe concussion patient was admitted with earlier," The droid mechanically droned as another across the room noted down the observation.

That's when it dawned on him, his head was no longer pounding. He had become so use to waking up to the misery that he hadn't even had it in his thought process to check on the banging in his skull, but his head felt relatively clear. Well except for the remaining fogginess the drugs caused, the lack of the usual agony had Obi-Wan in a far better mood even if he was still in a med bay.

The droid continued to prod him, evoking reactions as it tested pressure points and reflexes and jabbed previously damaged areas, eliciting only slight winces from Obi-Wan each time. The areas were all slightly tender, but bones did not seem to jostle and his insides actually felt intact. It proceeded to explain that Obi-Wan had been placed in the bacta tank situated across the room for several hours, that _explains the smell,_ and then also how he had spent several hours in the bone knitter machine, he had also been given a blood transfusion to replace the large amount he had lost at the hands of Skepaf. The brutal murder of the captain replayed vividly in his mind, shuddering he shook himself out of it, _Here and now._

Satisfied with its assessment the droid wheeled away leaving Obi-Wan to take in his surroundings. He witnessed the droid press some buttons on a control panel and send a communication, to presumably Dooku, that Obi-Wan was awake.

He could only see so much with the way he was restrained, thick sturdy metal bindings snaked over his arms, wrists, legs, ankles and chest leaving very little room for maneuvering at all. He craned his neck to take in the full contents of the room and was disappointed when nothing stuck out that he could try and use to his advantage. He would have to wait on his captor then…

Obi-Wan looked down at his body again but this time observed that he was dressed in different clothes, they were actually identical to his Jedi tunics, but these didn't include a gaping hole and weren't splattered with his blood. It seemed Dooku had gone to some trouble then.

He tried stretching as best as he could in his current predicament, aiming to put a bit of strain on his newly healed injuries and test his limits. Other than a few twinges of pain they didn't seem to bother him that much, the bacta tank and bone knitter had done a very good job of fixing his broken body by the looks of things.

He focused on a table to his left as something caught his eye, a medical instrument seemed to move slightly. Frowning he looked around the room again making absolutely sure he hadn't missed any one entering, glancing back down at the table realisation dawned on him as he could sense the object in the force! Giddily he reached out to the item and confirmed his suspicions by hovering the instrument slightly, it swiftly fell back to the surface again however as Obi-Wan lost control. Okay so he could barely access the force but the drug was starting to wear off definitely.

With anew determination he scrunched his eyes up and reached out into the force scouring his mind for his training bond with Anakin, excitedly he could now sense the bond but tragically it was greyed out and any attempts Obi-Wan made with connecting to it were rebuked. He wasn't strong enough yet, even that very small task seemed to make him feel exhausted so he pulled out of the state and decided on saving his energy before trying that again.

His thoughts drifted back to his young apprentice, he hoped Anakin was coping well enough without him, it had been hours since they were ripped apart from another. The boy must be scared, Obi-Wan only hoped he was having an okay time of releasing his fears and anxiousness into the force without his master there as a guide.

Obi-Wan's thoughts then started to mull over the events of the last day, he still couldn't puzzle out Dooku's motives when it came to them. He and Anakin were specifically targeted but why? The only connection Obi-Wan had to Dooku was that he was Qui-Gon's master, he knew his master would be appalled with what Dooku had turned into if he was still alive.

He had heard the rumours in the temple when Dooku had left, he had never met the man personally but he was a well-respected council member and Jedi master what could have possibly caused him to fall so far? The timing couldn't have been a coincidence, losing a previous apprentice must have been tough, Obi-Wan knew from Qui-Gon's tales that they weren't as close as he and Obi-Wan as Dooku frowned upon attachment. That did not mean it would not have hurt when Dooku had learnt of Qui-Gon's death however, Obi-Wan wasn't so naive to believe that the count had no feelings for Qui-Gon. When you spend that many years with somebody, training them teaching them everything you know it was impossible to stay truly detached the master/padawan relationship relied too much on trust for that.

Obi-Wan was brought out of his reverie when the door to the medbay hissed open and the looming figure of Count Dooku strode into the room, with a flick of his hand the droid was dismissed from its station leaving the two lone figures to study each other.

"Where's Anakin?" He was pleasantly surprised with the strength in his unwavering voice.

"You'll see him soon enough," Dooku quickly dismissed whilst taking a few more steps into the room.

Obi-Wan felt he was being scrutinised again and he did not like it, concentrating extremely hard he managed to throw up enough mental shields in his mind so as to not be a complete open book to Dooku. He didn't want him realising the force inhibitor seemed to be wearing off and shielded that particular stray thought very heavily.

After minutes of nothing but silence, where the sole purpose had been to size up their opponent so to say, Dooku at last sliced through the tension building with an opening move that Obi-Wan had not been prepared for.

"It is a great pity that our paths have not crossed before Obi-Wan". _A controlled first attack, leaving open all of his options a skilled duelist in this arena,_ Obi-Wan mused _._

Dooku paused taking a few steps towards Obi-Wan, resting his hand on his trapped limb seeming to chuckle with delight at the discomfort he was causing. Obi-Wan wanted nothing more than to rip his arm away from the grip but due to the clamps there was no where he could go so settled with just cursing to himself. It need not have mattered however as Dooku released his arm mercifully and started to circle the table Obi-Wan was unceremoniously bound to.

"Qui-Gon always spoke very highly of you. I wish he were still alive, I could use his help right now." _Delivering a stunning attack that threatened to knock away Obi-Wan's defences, he was going to play dirty so it seemed._

Fury flared up inside Obi-Wan and his rage threatened to spill over into his voice as he retorted violently and swiftly.

"Qui-Gon Jinn would NEVER join you." _Obi-Wan was also an accomplished duelist and rose to the challenge, slashing away Dooku's last attack at his defence and parrying with a thrust of equal magnitude of his own._

The emphasis on the word did not escape Dooku's notice who once again to the great annoyance of Obi-Wan smirked and shook his head slowly.

"Don't be so surem my young Jedi. You forget that he was once my apprentice just as you were once his". _A forceful block followed by a substantial strike, projecting Implications and insinuating that he knew Qui-Gon just as well, if not better, than Obi-Wan had._

Obi-Wan reeled, taking centered breaths determined to not let Dooku get to him. _He prepared his next thrust however it was sloppy at best, his anger seeping into the strike unbalancing the effectiveness._

"What do you want from me, Dooku?" Obi-Wan shot back fed up with the indirect approach the count was taking ever since he had entered the med bay.

Dooku stopped in his tracks all humour and mirth in his gaze dissipating as it transformed into a leering glare before quickly being replaced by anguished features. The change of emotions displaying on the counts features had altered so swiftly that Obi-Wan had to carefully consider if he had been imagining them. Dooku didn't break his gaze with Obi-Wan, his entire posture emitting seriousness. A lesser man may have been intimidated by the look and turned away but Obi-Wan held the gaze until Dooku answered his loaded question.

"You wouldn't believe me If I told you," The count started after the stretched silence had got too much for both of them, he had raised his eyebrows daring Obi-Wan to challenge him. _Yes a very accomplished duellist, he had thrown Obi-Wan off guard again seeming to play with the Jedi waiting for his impatience to rise._

"You couldn't shock me anymore, Dooku, out with it." Obi-Wan barked out the request, done with diplomacy and small chit chat. _A competent if uninspiring attempt at meeting the previous challenge._

"Don't be so sure, my friend." _Quick block followed by delivering a teasing blow_ w _ith ease._

At Obi-Wan's exasperated roll of his eyes Dooku continued noting he was losing the interest of the Jedi Knight.

"I need your help, Obi-Wan, the whole galaxy does." _A formidable unforeseen parry leaving Obi-Wan completely disarmed._

Well Obi-Wan had to admit when he was wrong, he had been astounded by Dooku's latest outburst, he felt shock canvas his features and for once in his life he was purely speechless. Then he did something which made Dooku extremely irate, he threw his head back and burst out laughing. His cackled guffaw echoed throughout the med bay, stopping even the distant droids in their tracks as his heart rate increased along with the volume of the roaring. Eventually Obi-Wan was able to control his hacking howling and went to wipe away the tears glistening in his eyes, before being painfully reminded his limbs were clamped down to the surgical table.

 _Even though Obi-Wan had been the first disarmed, he at least had solace that Dooku had soon followed in his footsteps. Obi-Wan's unexpected defence ruffled the counts feathers and Obi-Wan was satisfied with feeling Dooku's exasperation rise leaving his defence wide open._

"When you are quite finished." Dooku's tone was silkily dangerous, the fire rekindled in his eyes burning brightly directed towards Obi-Wan.

 _This battle was far from over, the counts strikes seemed to be enhanced by the fury, which left Obi-Wan reeling._

Obi-Wan's snickering stilled enough for him to choke out his next response, he wasn't usually so dire at keeping his emotions in check but what Dooku had said really set him off! It had definitely been a shock when Dooku had requested his help, he didn't know what he was expecting the count to say but it certainly wasn't that!

"I'm ever so sorry, did you really expect me to fall for _that_?" Humour still seeped through his even tone as he tried not to allow his mirth to overtake him. _A forceful blow to the count weakening his defences further as his rage grew._

 _Dooku gracefully blocked the parry, leaving Obi-Wan disappointed as he released his anger and centered himself back on his main task._

"Qui-Gon knew all about the corruption in the senate but he would have never gone along with it if he had learned the truth as I have". _Nothing more than a teasing attack, calling to be answered Obi-Wan did not disappoint._

"The truth?" _Swift block._

"The truth." _Steady strike._

"What if it told you that the republic was now under the control of the dark lord of the Sith." _A foolish attempt at barging through his opponents defences, who was having none of it._

"No that's not possible, the Jedi would be aware of it." _The attack was met with a sure footed block stopping the advancement of Dooku yet again._

"The dark side of the force has clouded their vision, my friend." _Another desperate lunge._

"Hundreds of senators are now under the influence of a Sith lord called Darth Sidious" _A more controlled slash at his opponents unprotected side._

"I don't believe you." _A quick readjustment to block._

The accusation should have been incredibly easy to shrug off as the manipulations of a mad man, but something nagging in Obi-Wan's mind warned him to look deeper. His conviction in the statement must have been less than he had first thought as Dooku raised his eyebrows proud over the blow he had struck. Without further time to deal with the smarting in his mind Obi-Wan's attention swiftly returned to the present conversation, all attention once again on the drawling words of Dooku. _I can't show him he's getting to me, Sith deal in deceit. Lying and trickery are there ways…_

"The viceroy of the trade federation was once in league with this Darth Sidious, but he was betrayed 10 years ago by the dark lord. He came to me for help he told me everything."

"Do you see now why the Jedi need to help? The galaxy is at a dangerous crossroads." _A last attempt at defeating the Jedi Knight, sloppy careless blow easily deflected._

"I see now that you're even more delusional than I first thought." _Stunning parry returned with extra emphasis on the sarcasm, not enough to disarm but certainly enough to rattle his opponent._

Dooku inhaled sharply, seething. Closing his eyes briefly to recompose himself he started to move away from Obi-Wan's side to the door controls. Closing a hand around the control, the door to the med bay slid open once again and at his beckoning two guards trotted in obediently.

They were armed with blasters and held a whole array of grenades and percussion weapons adjoining their belts, unkind empty eyes stared out of from each of their skulls. _Just hired muscle_.

"Maybe some time mulling it over will make you come to your senses." _The duel was over, both opponents unable to reach a satisfactory outcome which left a bitter tang in the air._

"I wouldn't count on it." Obi-Wan retorted, tongue swifter than a speeding blaster bolt.

With a dejected sigh and a challenging raised eyebrow Dooku lifted his hands and the clamps strapping Obi-Wan's body to the table snaked away, allowing Obi-Wan to stretch his unused limbs and try and breathe some life back into them.

He noted when he shifted his chest there wasn't the pure agony of loose bones jostling anymore, only a dull ache around the muscles. His head felt clearer than ever as he experimentally, tentatively placed his feet onto the ground and stood deliberately slowly. He had experienced the anguish previously with rushing upwards onto broken and damaged limbs and didn't want his head swimming again.

Gently he leaned off of the table and put his full weight on his previously fractured leg, no agony as he experimentally shifted his weight from one side to the other, again just a dull ache and the occasional jolt if he stepped too rapidly. The medics had done excellent work he had to admit, it exceeded all of his expectations. Yes he had woken up to nearly no pain, but straining and putting pressure on the still healing wounds was a very different thing to just lying back on a medical table.

Glancing upwards his attention snapped back to Dooku as it dawned on him he hadn't been rushed yet, he was met with the other seemingly scanning and observing the effectiveness of the healing that had been carried out. A small smile tugging at the corners of the count's mouth was the only indication of his assessment of his condition, he was evidently pleased Obi-Wan was back on his feet again, well so was Obi-Wan.

Keeping his thoughts very guarded Obi-Wan stretched his arms upwards, testing out any weakness in the now closed knife wound. His set of new tunics weren't splattered with blood like the others, as if the wound had never been there. He felt a slight twinge of pain as he fingered the scar, it would eventually disappear with multiple bacta bath's however that wasn't the main thing on Obi-Wan's mind right now.

Obi-Wan discreetly reached out with the force, trying to grasp anything and was rewarded with sensing the force presence of Dooku in the room. Not wishing to alert the man to his new revelation Obi-Wan threw up every kind of mental defence he could around that nugget of information and withdrew from the force.

Satisfied with his testing a realisation dawned on him, with his newly found health and connection to the force, albeit weak, he could really give Dooku a run for his money. _Patience._ That was the one law Obi-Wan always endeavoured to stand by, it had aided him hundreds of times in the past and it would aid him again now. This was not the time or place to try anything so foolish and reckless, Obi-Wan wasn't an initiate. No, he would bide his time and attack at the opportune moment, that promise seemed to glint from his eyes as Dooku's relaxed posture went rigid hand flying to rest on the curved hilt of his light saber, returning the challenging gaze with his own devoid dark eyes.

Obi-Wan didn't move an inch, arms held out in a non-threatening manner. He needed Dooku to not be on edge, that may damage his chances.

With a nod to the guards they cautiously approached Obi-Wan's position, one held his blaster straight at Obi-Wan's chest as the other pulled out a set of restraints. He never dropped his stare with Dooku as his arms were pulled behind him and his hands restrained yet again, mirth glittered in his eyes alongside a dangerous promise of challenge that unsettled Dooku greatly. _Okay I shouldn't be antagonising him, but he makes it too easy…_

Raising his eyebrows in humour and projecting the image he was seeing back to Dooku he was rewarded with a sharp intake of breath and if possible Dooku's eyes narrowed even further until they were just slits. The picture of Dooku rattled and actually close to pulling his light saber with Obi-Wan restrained and drugged seemed to hit it's mark, the count became aware of the source of Obi-Wan's amusement as the depiction reached his mind, Dooku was afraid of what he might do even in this state.

"Most amusing, Kenobi, shall we?" The hand moved from the hilt of the light saber but still rested dangerously close, he signaled to the door way with his other arm posture reeking of barely controlled rage, clearly not entertained by Obi-Wan's attempts of incapacitating him.

At the hint Obi-Wan chuckled to himself and started to walk forward shrugging off the supporting hand that tried to close around his left arm, he could proceed by himself. He managed a few steady steps before the offending hand tried to grip his arm again this time more forcibly, just as Obi-Wan sensed the hand nearing his limb did he spin round glaring at the guard the promise of a challenge swimming in his eyes.

At Dooku's slight shake of his head the hand returned to hold a blaster and this was then shoved into his shoulder instead effectively twisting him back to face the door way. Obi-Wan followed Dooku out of the medbay into the unknown, helpfully being jolted along with a blaster jabbing into his side.

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 **And that's it for this week!**

 **I am working on the next chapter as I type :) It is scheduled to be ready for next weekend!**

 **Until next time...**


	13. Chapter 13

**It's been a very very busy week for me but managed to get this all wrapped up for today :) Going to check up on some of the other characters in this chapter hope you all enjoy!**

 **YumikoWantsCake - Yes I've always found Dooku to be an interesting character, his motives are never that cut and dry! Thank you for your contiued support and I hope you enjoy this chapter! P.s. Ani gets a segment here just to catch up with things, your wish is my command :D**

 **Annie Walker - Yes very similar, you'll have to wait and found out I'm afraid ;) And no it wont be a case of 'oh you don't want to, well I'll just kill you'. Dooku's gone to far too much trouble for that to be the case, well for now anyway :D As for your other queries they will all be addressed in the next few chapters! Glad you're liking the story :D enjoy!**

 **Guest - Apologies for not being able to update sooner, been a very hectic week! hope you enjoy anyway :)**

* * *

Anakin shivered slightly wanting nothing more than to wrap his arms round his chattering body to try and increase his core temperature, that annoyingly was not possible as the electro cuffs trapping his small wrists were still snapped in place. With that idea out the window Anakin sought solace in the endless currents of the force seeking for reassurance with the aim to lower his ever so racing heart rate.

He had been left alone for what must have been hours now and as the more time dragged on, the higher his anxiety levels rose, where was Obi-Wan? What could they possibly be doing to him for this long? Shaking himself on his misgivings Anakin tried to center himself again releasing all pent up emotions bit by bit. His master would expect Anakin to continue on with these exercise's whether Obi-Wan was here or not, he had always warned him over the years of training that he wouldn't always be around to act as an anchor and guide Anakin through everything. Anakin just hadn't envisioned this time coming so soon in their apprenticeship, striving forwards with new conviction Anakin focused on his master's teachings and endeavoured in his task ahead.

The matter was made considerably worse however as the force surrounding Anakin was tainted with darkness, he assumed it was because of being in such close to vicinity to a dark force user and chided himself when he went to ask his master who obviously was not sharing the prison with Anakin. The darkness ebbed in all of his surroundings calling out to his angry emotions beckoning, urging him to hold onto them to strengthen himself. He ignored all of the goading whisperings and remained in the light working earnestly to lower his anxiety and worry over Obi-Wan, _fear leads to the dark side…_

Anakin actually succeeded in letting go many of his troublesome feelings before a new force presence made itself known in his surroundings. _Dooku._ The longer Anakin examined the new presence however the more his theory was abolished, not Dooku then but then who else could have this much darkness rolling off of them?

Abruptly Anakin realised the new figure was now standing outside of his cell, he could feel their eyes boring into his form as he meditated, scanning for weakness and chuckling slightly at the Jedi apprentice's attempts of indifference.

"You can stop that, little Jedi, I know you sense my presence here." That was a surprise, the tone was that of a female dripping with malice and danger.

Anakin grudgingly cracked his eyes open, on the outside maintaining the perfect mask of calmness but inside his heart rate shot up a few paces. The newcomer sensed his inner turmoil and grinned manically throwing her head backwards whilst sniggering at the revelation.

"Yes I can feel your fear young one." Her voice was slow and precise, drawling even, laced with untamed fire.

Anakin steeled himself at the once again spot on observation, this dark force user was reading him just like an open book. He tried desperately to build shields round parts of his mind just as Obi-Wan had started to show him. His efforts were noticed immediately as the stranger's face broke out into a full blown smirk, gleefully happy with ruffling the young Jedi's feathers.

"Where's my master?" Anakin growled back as the figure slipped out of his limited view of the door soon after his sight adjusted to the change in light, she was quick.

"Oh I wouldn't worry about him, he's being taken care of nicely." The antagonising words floated through the empty air between them before a beeping sound replaced them.

Before Anakin could offer any sort of angry retort a chiming sound rang out and he swiftly leapt to his feet as the force field penning him in fizzled out of existence, then the figure stalked in heading straight for his slightly shaking form.

The figure was very skinny and athletic, Anakin could imagine her leaping around in a duel with no problems. Hanging at the stranger's hips were two curved saber hilts, perfectly defined and beautiful. She was clad head to toe in dark clothes, every piece giving off the impression that the wearer was a warrior. It was the new arrival's face that had Anakin's breathing hitch swiftly, cold dead set eyes bore down on his position, even with Anakin standing the figure easily towered over him.

Her deathly pale skin was scoured with deep markings, almost like tattoos. Some stemmed from behind her ear travelling up the skull where there should be hair but there was none. The top of the being's head glinted shinily, utterly and completely bald. More markings peppered her forehead and the areas surrounding her eyes, making them appear even more piercing. At either side of her mouth were further markings, a slightly tainted red colour which contrasted against the skin and made it look all the more deathly. The overall appearance projected power and domination, intending on throwing her opponents off before they even began, this was almost definitely working on Anakin right now but he strove to not let her witness the affect she was having on him.

Anakin had thought Dooku's aura was dark but the figure standing in front of him now not only reeked of evil but emitted it. The force was in complete turmoil, stuck between the vast contrast between the two opponents, Anakin had never felt anything quite like it and once again wished for his master's presence so he could answer all these worrying queries.

Anakin stilled when a hand shot out towards his face, expecting a strike he was once again astounded as the taloned hand caressed his cheek finger nail pressing slightly as it went. If anything he would have preferred the strike this was, well, this was extremely disturbing. There was a possessive glint in the eyes of his opponent as she pronounced slowly her next heart stopping remark.

"Yes I can feel how strong the force is within you, so much potential." The remark was laced with glee as her eyes manically darted over his form which made Anakin's skin crawl.

Anakin proceeded to try and rip himself from this mad woman's hold eyes glaring dangerously, only to have her strong grip grab his jaw in a vice like hold whilst chuckling deliberately, other hand naturally shifting to hover over one of her curved saber hilts.

"Such fire…"

Without another breath Anakin's jaw was released and the figure traipsed out of the cell, flicking the force field back in place and leaving Anakin in stunned silence all in a matter of moments. The fleeting image of the dark witch was engrained in his mind which caused his whole body to start trembling, lowering himself to the ground before his legs gave way he abruptly slammed his eyes shut trying to rid himself of the last encounter.

As much as he hated to admit it the unknown person had rattled him immensely, fear and anxiety levels at an all-time high with no questions answered about his master's condition or even his whereabouts. He proceeded to harness the forces soothing currents with earnest and set about trying to ascertain the location and condition of Obi-Wan.

* * *

Obi-Wan lazily scanned and memorised the route he, Count Dooku and their personal security traversed along, he was exceptionally gifted at coercing the speaker into thinking that he was listening intently to what they were saying whilst his mind was actually straying to another query. This time was no different, Dooku was prattling on about the naivety of the Jedi order and the corruptness of the republic as if Obi-Wan gave the slightest damn to what this depraved lunatic was rambling on about.

He kept part of his mind monitoring the Count's speech in case something came up that he would be expected to answer or if frankly, it actually turned interesting. The majority of Obi-Wan's mind however had another task on the forefront of his mind, fracturing the manacles that held his wrists into tiny smithereens. It was taking all of his concentration to keep mental shields tightly blockading his inner motives and ever increasing access to the force, giddily he could actually feel the mechanisms start to pull loose at the hinges now.

Abruptly he had to avert his attention back to the conversation as Dooku waved off the guards and motioned forwards so that he and Obi-Wan were now travelling side by side along the corridor. Obi-Wan's heart rate had increased dramatically as panic overtook him, he had thought for one horrifying moment that Dooku had found out exactly what he was doing, to his utter bewilderment however the Count seemed completely oblivious and continued to pace forward this time however engaging in an actual conversation that Obi-Wan was expected to participate. _Well so be it if he wants another lashing then he can have one._

"Is it true Qui-Gon openly requested to take on Skywalker as a padawan even though you were still his apprentice?" _Vicious assault on an unprepared opponent, almost crashing through all defences at once. Continuing to play dirty then._

Obi-Wan's breathing stilled and he slowed his pace dangerously, unwanted emotions stirring in his chest which threatened to break the surface of his calm posture. The gleam from Dooku's gaze and slight smirk pulling at the older man's lips told everything Obi-Wan needed to know, Dooku already knew the answer to that question and was trying to provoke a response. He would not let Dooku anger him.

Dooku raised his eyebrows slightly humoured at Obi-Wan's attempts of indifference, he could see that he found a weak point in his opponents defence and he intended to capitalise on it.

"Yes, Qui was always fond of his little projects. All those 'pathetic life forms'. It's a shame he never seemed to finish what he started however…' _Stinging attack antagonising, looking to be met he was not disappointed._

"Shut up! How dare you say his name? Traitor." _Aggressive defence whirling the attack back onto his opponent with a vicious slash crashing against his enemies formidable defence._

He had stopped clean in his tracks as he dished out the latest onslaught, snarling into Dooku's face the entire time.

Dooku just glanced down at his captive eyebrows raised gaze filled with triumph, Obi-Wan didn't think his fury could rise any more, that was until Dooku started to laugh.

"How can you serve the very abomination that killed your own apprentice did he really mean nothing to you!" _Stunning set of attacking parries aiming at his opponents substantial defence but still managing to land at least one blow leaving Dooku reeling for a few moments._

Obi-Wan's airway was abruptly cut off as Dooku had him pinned against the unforgiving wall jarring his old wounds, arm pressing against his windpipe all in matter of microseconds, faster than Obi-Wan could blink, murder in his fiery eyes.

 _Obi-Wan had been outmanoeuvred physically at least, verbally he had quashed Dooku in the previous spat, antagonising and striking at the weakness the count had until he had struck a victorious blow._

"Careful, Kenobi, I blame the Jedi solely for Qui-Gon's death. If the council had listened to me from the start none of this would have happened!" _Despite letting an attack past his defence his counterstrike was powerful and full of venom, he was far more dangerous when angered._

The choking arm pressed dangerously against his larynx causing Obi-Wan to squirm slightly trying to find purchase to propel the count away, which was not easy in his currently restrained position. Painstaking seconds later Obi-Wan was released from the hold and hungrily gulped air back into his empty lungs, Dooku's posture remained offensive ready to take any action for more insolence or insulting words.

"I warned them about the senate and the republic's corruption, the galaxy is falling about around them and all the mighty council will do is sit and talk. They are not worthy of the name Jedi they are all no more than babbling fools, you are all failing the galaxy in the name of what? You actually think it's peace!" _He unrelentingly continued his deadly barrage of strikes, blows and parries throwing Obi-Wan off guard and forcing him to go on the retreat._

"What and you think the separatists have the answer for the galaxy? You are more delusional than I first thought, you're deranged Dooku!" _Obi-Wan barely held his opponents savage onslaught at bay, counter striking where he could but never breaking past Dooku's once again impenetrable armour._

Obi-Wan's voice came out rasping at first but the end of his accusation was essentially yelled in the face of his opponent. Dooku's reaction, if possible, increased the rage he was feeling as ferocity welled up dangerously inside his form. He was actually grinning! Stepping closer to his opponent breathing heavily as the storm inside him threatened to break over the surface.

"Can you feel it, Kenboi? Your anger and hatred fuel your strength, they empower you!" _An inspiring killing blow, heading straight for his opponents insecurities and more dangerously so, the truth._

"No! The dark side is weak, giving into your emotions only makes you uncontrolled!" _A weak back footed defence parry, struggling immensely under the strain of his opponents relentless driving attacks on his weakness._

Obi-Wan could worryingly feel his rage grow unchecked and strove to release his emotions, which was made impossible with the count's continuing assault on him, forcing Obi-Wan to retreat. He stalked away from the count trying to escape the taunts being thrown at him mercilessly. The hatred and outrage did however prove quite useful with harnessing the force to weaken the restraints clamping his hands, the fact alone alarmed Obi-Wan as realisation dawned on him, he was losing control.

"Ha! The narrow minded view of the Jedi and that is why they will never defeat the Sith Lord, the true power arises from harnessing the force from both sides. You are just too afraid to touch the darkness Obi-Wan, its strength and potential terrify you." _A steadier set of strikes, swiftly blocked expertly by his opponent, last strike, risky and overzealous but nevertheless hitting its mark all the same._

"The dark side only leads to misery, I am not afraid of the dark side of the force. I've seen it and conquered it." _Another weak set of defence blocks, unable to counterstrike constantly on the back foot trying to gain ground, desperation seeping into the duel._

Obi-Wan continued to storm off slightly ahead of Dooku who was having no trouble keeping up with his prisoner, not letting him have any reprieve, any chance of escape from their duel.

"Oh my dear Obi-Wan, you haven't even begun to understand the true capability of the dark side. Tell me you cannot have light without dark so why should you restrict yourself, you could be all-powerful if you harnessed the true potential of the force!" _Mercifully slowing pace of attacks, circling opponent, sizing up new weakness's after assault followed by a blinding thrust pushing for a response!_

"Jedi do not want for personal gain, we serve the galaxy!" _Strong defence, sure footed fuelled by conviction and belief._

"Parroted like a prized student, I thought you would have picked up on more of your master's traits. He certainly was an unwanted maverick now wasn't he?" _No more reprieve, a near deadly strike to his opponents defensive block barely stopped, followed by another more personal thrust grazing his opponents undefended side. Always his weakness…_

Obi-Wan stopped abruptly spinning round to face the smirking face of Dooku wanting nothing more than to rip his stupid smug smile right off his face. The more Obi-Wan tried to release his anger the harder Dooku pushed, antagonising the young Jedi already knowing his greatest weakness the perfect place to strike.

"Don't you dare desecrate his memory, you are not worthy to even speak his name!" _Barely holding the attacks back, loathing seeping into his defence making it sloppy. Effective counter attacks no longer an option._

"Face it, Kenobi, it's the reason he forsook your training to take on Anakin. He could actually see some potential there…" _The last blinding assault attempt, worming its way past all of Obi-Wan's defences to claim victory disarming his opponent in a particularly vicious blow._

Only in reality they had both been disarmed as Obi-Wan's next actions pushed their spoken duel into a very deadly physical one.

That was it, the final straw of his rationale. Obi-Wan shattered the remains of the restraints with a burst of force energy so raw and full of power that he had to think twice if he was still being affected by the force inhibitor. In less than a second Dooku was sprawled at the other end of the corridor, caught unprepared by his captives daring challenge and being struck head on by the wave of power Obi-Wan put behind the attack. In the next moment Obi-Wan's own light saber was in his grip, stolen from Dooku's belt, and he was standing in a stance ready for battle. It wasn't his usual stance however, this time unchecked fury radiated from Obi-Wan's form and he stormed forward in an attack lunge at his fallen foe.

The sizzling crimson light shot from his opponent's weapon as it came up to block Obi-Wan's overhead strike with such force it sent shockwaves up Obi-Wan's arms all the way to his shoulders. Before Obi-Wan could lunge again at his adversary he was suddenly sailing through the air at alarming speed, shoved with an immense force so large it stole his air immediately, before crashing unceremoniously into a bulkhead and sliding agonisingly towards the floor.

Glancing upwards he noted Dooku lower his arm and start to dust himself off before smirking slightly and holding out a hand inviting Obi-Wan to attack. He did not disappoint and leapt off the floor bounding across the narrow space faster than a speeding blaster bolt, blue clashed against red at an alarming rate in a blur of motion, both attackers fuelled by anger and hatred empowering their blows.

Obi-Wan slashed right to the shoulder, spun behind his opponent, sprang over a low sweeping arc from his antagonist then lunged towards Dooku's midsection before being thrown away again with a flick of the count's wrist. All these actions happened in less than a second, blue and red light almost melding when clashing. Obi-Wan leapt to his feet once again and switched to a defensive stance, he would let Dooku come to him after all his advantage was in his defence.

Both opponents breathed heavily eyeing the other up looking for a weakness, a way past each other's unbreakable defence's, circling the other very languidly eyeing up any flicker of movement. The tension in the atmosphere was palpable.

At Obi-Wan's signal to 'bring it on', Dooku answered with a faint snicker before launching a dizzying set of assaults switching from one side of his opponent to the other without skipping a beat, forcing Obi-Wan to pivot and twist to meet the red blade at each strike and parry. When Dooku lunged for his midsection Obi-Wan responded by back flipping off of the wall behind him sailing cleanly over Dooku's head striking out at the counts neck which was blocked expertly, shortly after he was forced to duck again as the crimson blade arced where his own neck was but a moment ago.

Left thrust, right block, slash to the knee, jump over low blow, twist to opponents unprotected side and slash downwards, locked saber's as red met blue in a spark of dancing lights.

Both opponents pulled away from the locked struggle at precisely the same moment, stepping back a few steps and taking in large handfuls of air greedily. They were very evenly matched and neither of them had been able to land or even remotely nearly land a blow.

The corridor was eerily silent, well except for the thrumming of the two saber's of course and the racing heartbeats of the two fighters. It wasn't long before Dooku started a new tactic.

"I wonder how it must have felt, standing in front of the entire Jedi council and being thrown out like yesterday's garbage!" The taunt was snarled with as much conviction and insult that the count could muster.

His jibe was rewarded with a particularly vicious set of thrusts and strikes all aiming at separating limbs or burning through Dooku's heart. The force of each blow made each fighter's arms tremble, sparks burning and singeing each man's clothing as they scintillated off of the colliding saber's.

"Don't lie to yourself, Obi-Wan, I can feel your hatred, your anger it gives you power, it makes you stronger!"

 _"This is isn't you, Obi-Wan, don't lose yourself…"_

The words stopped Obi-Wan in his tracks horrifying realisation sprawled over his face as realisation caught up to reality, he had given in to his fury and let it control his actions. No wonder why he couldn't get past Dooku's defences, with emotions controlling his attacks he hadn't been thinking clearly so his onslaught and defence had been severely diminished, just as it had been on Naboo before he centered himself. The warning just after hadn't been projected by Dooku it must have been Obi-Wan trying to remind himself that what he was doing was no better than what he used to do when he was an initiate!

Dooku decided to capitalise on Obi-Wan's brief pause slashing overhead blows with such strength that Obi-Wan nearly lost his grip on his saber. Pivoting, averting and leaping out of the way just before he was sliced down the arm Obi-Wan reeled backwards going on the defensive whilst he tried desperately to center himself back in the force which was still being slightly elusive. Releasing his anger piece by piece he struggled to keep up with Dooku's relentless barrage of strikes and thrusts succumbing slightly to exhaustion, the more Obi-Wan went on the defensive the harder Dooku tried to antagonise him, his own parries becoming somewhat sloppy.

 _There on his right._ Obi-Wan saw his opening and took it fervently, pivoting to the count's sloppy side he bore down on the older man with anew strength and calmness. All previous signs of disorganisation and exhaustion dissipating before his eyes as he drew more and more on the endless reserves of the force. A sweat broke out on Dooku's face as his eyes seemed to go wild and panicked before quickly recomposing himself and defending Obi-Wan's carefully measured and controlled parries.

Obi-Wan was gaining ground and was slowly pushing the count backwards into the bulkhead, not giving him any escape or any chance to move Obi-Wan continued to press down on Dooku landing blow after blow. It was Dooku's arms now that trembled struggling to hold each strike and thrust from his opponent at bay. The panicked look in his eyes started to lessen the longer the attack continued, something was nagging at the back of Obi-Wan's mind but he pushed it back not wanting to take his concentration off of the battle, he could feel the count weakening and knew he couldn't hold out much longer himself.

The corridor was alight in a dance of red and blue flashes as the saber's continued to twirl, clash and seek for any route they could take which would not be met with the others weapon. It was almost futile for both of them, that was however until Obi-Wan saw an opening and took it. He leapt up over his opponents head, ducked and rolled to avoid the arcing swing of the crimson blade before pivoting to come up unexpectedly on his opponents right side slashing at Dooku's shoulder faster than the man could bring his saber up to block entirely.

That being said Dooku was still extremely quick and Obi-Wan only managed to sear a small wound onto his opponents arm, a superficial wound, painful however and very agonising no matter how small the searing. The count's eyes narrowed dangerously into slits and he gasped out with pain as Obi-Wan's saber seared into his skin slightly, Obi-Wan could tell he was completely livid, all mirth that had glittered his eyes when they started this duel was gone, replaced with fiery yellow eyes swimming with power and darkness. Obi-Wan was unprepared for the force shove so it hit him square in the chest sending him sprawling backwards onto the floor again. In less than a heartbeat he was back up on his feet ready to engage Dooku again.

Abruptly the mood changed and Dooku actually smirked, Obi-Wan sensed around him nervously trying to ascertain the nature or location of the danger the force was now screaming at him. Without any words Dooku charged back into the assault, each blow more forceful than the last being fueled entirely by his rage and the dark side. Obi-Wan almost shivered under the power, it was definitely immense and darkness radiated off of his opponent in waves. Dooku had been right he had never truly faced the dark side, Maul had been _nothing_ compared to this and if Dooku was telling the truth about the Sith lord then force help them all.

With one final pressing warning in the force Obi-Wan felt his and Anakin's bond flare to life with pain, he couldn't help but be distracted by the urgency and the sheer amount of panic pummeling him across their bond and lost his footing enough for Dooku to once again gain the upper hand pushing him backwards with alarming speed. The bond went silent and Obi-Wan tired desperately to reach out to Anakin, worry building inside him when there was no response. It threw him off entirely and Dooku continued to press his advantage forcing Obi-Wan to really scamper out the way fast when unforeseen blows came careering towards his head.

The longer Obi-Wan couldn't communicate with Anakin the worst his defence got, he had felt the pure agony traversing across their bond and now realised why Dooku had looked so smug a few moments ago. He must have ordered someone to hurt Anakin to throw him off balance, _the coward!_ But Obi-Wan hadn't seen the count communicate to anyone not physically anyway. So the only way he would be able to communicate with somebody would be if they were force sensitive as well!

With that deadly deduction Obi-Wan proceeded in vain to hold back the counts attacks feeling the remains of his strength fade with every strike. Matters were about to get a whole lot worse he felt as his suspicions about another force user were confirmed as a stinking dark presence in the force neared on their position, dragging along a very irate padawan…

* * *

 **I had some real fun writing this one :) Hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing!**

 **As always the next chapter is under development and will be out ASAP :)**

 **Until next time...**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N - I have just recently started posting a new short story based off of a throwaway line in chapter 12. I just couldn't get the idea out of my head! So if anyone wants to find out just exactly Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon managed to tick off some tribes members and get very very muddy check out the light hearted tale named: Aggressive Negotiations which is now complete :)**

 **Back to this story, we pick up we left off here. The light saber fight :)**

 **YumikoWantsCake - Ah yes the identity is clarified right here in this chapter :) Indeed not how they would like though... I honestly couldn't tell you, I've seen it around in various different places and thought it was a pretty neat idea! Thank you hope you enjoy :D**

 **Annie Walker - Here's an earlier update than expected :D Thank you once again for the feedback and interest, hope this chapter is too your liking!**

 **3 - I'm glad you've stumbled across my little story :D thank you for your kind words and I hope you enjoy this chapter just as much :)**

* * *

Count Dooku was impressed, dazzled in fact with the show the young knight was putting on for him. Kenobi had acted as expected, after pushing on the still raw memory of his former master Obi-Wan had reacted in pure loathing, harnessing his hatred to empower his skill. It was just what Dooku wanted, if he was ever to defeat Sidious then he would need someone extremely powerful by his side. Kenobi was evidently that somebody, he was sure of it now more than ever.

The engaged Count was brought out of his reverie however when he noticed Obi-Wan's thrusts and strikes gain in strength, enough that it would require all of Dooku's concentration to hold him at bay. He had just witnessed the young Jedi finally give into his true feelings and set himself free, the result was breathtaking to witness. There was still work to be done however, he could feel Obi-Wan's slight reluctance to harness the true power, it was there for the taking if he only just reached out and grabbed it!

He had witnessed unchecked brutality in the young Jedi's assault, staggering strength crashing against his own formidable defence at an alarming rate. Qui-Gon had unquestionably been correct in his assessment of his padawan, resoundingly so. This young man was nothing short of incredible, so much potential, so much power it just had to be honed to be used in the right way.

Dooku had been on the advantage just a moment ago, but his complacency had given Obi-Wan the opening he needed, grimacing he pivoted and swept out of the way with the agility and elegance of a man far his junior. He was actually breaking out a sweat over this new deadly barrage of strikes raining down on him seemingly from all directions at once! He had definitely seen enough he decided swiftly, noting the fire and control in the young Jedi's eyes Dooku recognised the signs of impending victory and for the first time in a great many years the elder former Jedi panicked.

He quickened his pace, glaring at Kenobi's smirking form, knowledgeable in the fact that he could actually defeat Dooku. He could scarcely keep up with the young Jedi's blurred motion now, his arms agonisingly screaming to his mind with exhaustion. There was only one thing that would stop Obi-Wan now. The boy.

Dooku reached out to his faithful companion in the force, communicating with her to bring Skywalker here at once. He could feel himself starting to fail as Obi-Wan gained ground and once again marveled at the strength he was seeing, staggered slightly from the ferocity and agility of a recently healed, very young Jedi Knight.

Dooku had witnessed the bond between the two the first time he laid eyes on them, physically and in the force. It was well-founded and unyielding, something far greater than Dooku had ever experienced himself with any of his own padawan's. The ramifications of what he observed were clear for anyone paying any kind of attention, as clear as the night sky. They were attached.

His inner musings were very rudely interrupted as Kenobi performed a dizzying feat of offensive thrusts and moves so fast that Dooku could not completely keep up, his reward for his lack of sprightliness was an excruciating burning pain shooting across his arm. He just about bought up his crimson saber to block in time so as to not lose his entire arm, the after effects of the searing however brought tears to his eyes so he quickly admonished himself and ignored the misery of his arm, new conviction to stop the young Jedi before he caused any irreversible damage. This was getting out of control, Dooku no longer had faith that he could actually subdue Obi-Wan, annoyingly enough so did the young Knight.

He narrowed his gaze at his adversary perilously, evoking his displeasure at the turn of events, eyes swimming with the promise of a rebuke for the injury Obi-Wan had incurred. With afresh conviction he sent out another message to his accomplice to cause Skywalker to cry out into the force and was rewarded with the knowledge they were nearing their position. Dooku even felt Skywalker's pain traverse through the force, good this would be finished soon then and by the alarmed features swarming Obi-Wan's face he had felt the disturbance also. With the new knowledge Dooku smirked slightly, enjoying immensely the uncertain features on his opponents face as he was left out of the intel. _Soon Kenobi, you will find out very soon_.

With anew conviction Dooku pushed back the loathing puzzled young Jedi, relief washing through him as he seemed to have control returning to his side. Feeling the boy's pain filled cry in the force had certainly rattled Obi-Wan, that was his problem. Attachments. Dooku observed as Obi-Wan desperately tried to reach out into the force to confirm what was happening, Dooku did not give him the chance however and relentlessly pushed the younger back with reserves he didn't even knew he could tap into. Dooku could sense Obi-Wan's rage flare again as he twigged what the Count had done, it strengthened his blows once more causing the two duelists to be on rather even footings once again.

Dooku was content with the fact he would have Obi-Wan controlled once again, well as soon as Ventress and Skywalker arrived. He strove onward matching and dancing around the duel, duplicating Obi-Wan's strength and agility, endeavouring to keep the battle going until the duo arrived…

* * *

The mysterious witch had appeared at Anakin's cell door and proceeded to drag him out with such haste that he knew immediately something was up. Her previous demeanour had been erased, seriousness covered her features along with what Anakin may have wrongly identified to be a slight twinge of fear. However as the dark figure grasped one of her light saber hilts and a crimson blade shot out of the hilt Anakin knew he had not identified incorrectly. She was afraid for some reason.

The cause became very clear actually as Anakin sensed the colossal turmoil occurring in the force just a few corridors down. He had concentrated immensely on the source and had actually beamed with pride and relief as he felt his master dueling with Dooku. Those feelings had abandoned him swiftly however as he identified unchecked rage pouring of his master's force signature, he was so livid it actually terrified Anakin just feeling it from that distance.

His terror had again changed to some relief as he sensed Obi-Wan release his fury bit by bit, gaining strength with every action he took. That was when the witch had stiffened and grimaced slightly in pain, Anakin was horribly confused as she looked placidly down upon him. Confusion promptly transformed into agony however as her light saber was unceremoniously held against his bare skin, scalding and scorching a few centimetres deep on his shoulder. The inhumane cry that escaped his lips echoed down the corridor and the burning stench of human flesh reached his nostrils making Anakin nearly retch all over the floor.

Before he could ask what the hell that was for the witch had gripped his good arm in a vice like grip and once again proceeded to parade him along the remainder of the corridor. The purpose of the vicious unprovoked attack was however explained as Anakin reached out into the force to identify his master and stilled as he sensed what his pain had done to Obi-Wan's concentration. _These crinking sith-spits!_ They were using him against his master again! Anakin strove to reach out to Obi-Wan in his mind to instruct him not to worry, Anakin was okay and that he shouldn't let Dooku get to him this way. His efforts were rebuked however, he was met with a solid wall and grimaced as the witch escorting him chuckled at his efforts. His attention reverted back to the duel, however, as they started to near the position of the two seasoned fighters.

The entire length of the corridor was awash with the flashing of blue and red lights, dancing and melding together as one, moving in perfect synchrony. The eerie quietness of the thrumming of each weapon was only disturbed when the saber's collided with walls, surfaces or each other eliciting agonising screeching sounds. The illuminated area allowed the shadows of the two opponents to be projected onto the walls surrounding them, where Anakin witnessed the most graceful duel he had ever seen before they even reached the actual duelist's positions, the agility and pace of the confrontation was staggering as he observed his master and Dooku locked in a deadly, beautiful, futile dance. The force around both combatants swirled perilously, seemingly increasing the longer the unwavering battle played out, both men ostensibly inhaling the currents as if to allow the force to flow right through their veins.

Anakin could scarcely believe his eyes, he had seen his master in training before, but this was not training. He could tell by the atmosphere Obi-Wan intended on this being a fight to the death. Unfortunately for his master Dooku had other plans…

* * *

Obi-Wan backed up slowly disengaging from the locked saber spat he had no chance of winning, he had to quickly duck once again as the fearsome crimson blade swept through the air around about the position his head was situated. The situation was deteriorating fast, all his muscles trembled, his heart rate at an all-time high as all of his straining systems cried out for oxygen. He had centered himself perfectly not a moment ago, only for Dooku to employ a very ruthless dirty trick intent on throwing him off by using Anakin against him. It had.

The worst part of the development was the fact that both parties knew this fact, Dooku's eyes glinted dangerously victory knowingly just around the corner. Obi-Wan couldn't feel his young charge anymore which caused his panicked state to further increase, as if somebody was blocking their bond? The Count had heard his suspicions obviously as his smirk widened and an eyebrow shot up confirming the fact that yes he was the reason Obi-Wan couldn't feel his apprentice in his mind.

Seething Obi-Wan proceeded to go about battering down those mental defences, only to be stopped as his full concentration was required on the battle in front of him when Dooku relentlessly caused him to pivot and flip out of his saber's seeking strikes. _I can't go on much longer…_ Obi-Wan knew his reserves were spent, he was now purely acting on survival instinct, allowing the force to sustain him. He could sense the secondary figure approaching their position and tried to adjust his own location so as to not get caught between the two.

In the next few moments Obi-Wan completely lost his concentration in battle as a howling cry of pain reached his ears, which belonged to his padawan. He was forcefully pummelled with the misery and agony Anakin was feeling as the block on their training bond was released. Gasping out himself Obi-Wan was not prepared for the Count's next vicious attack, intent on ending their duel with his opponent so badly distracted.

Obi-Wan desperately swung his light saber to block Dooku's onslaught, getting slower each time, tunic singed all over from the very near misses. His struggle was futile, deep down Obi-Wan had known that since Dooku had employed his latest cowardly tactic. It wasn't long before Dooku found his opening and savagely capitalised on it, spinning round in a flurry of movements the Count had struck at Obi-Wan's unprotected side eliciting a scream of agony as his crimson saber cauterised the flesh on his upper arm, almost identical to the area he had marked Dooku.

Obi-Wan instinctually responded with a force push so raw with power that it sent Dooku sprawling over the unforgiving dura steel floor, completely unprepared for the defence. Glancing down Obi-Wan grimaced as he noted the wound was deep, far deeper than the one he had inflicted upon Dooku. He held his saber limply in his grip, unsure and untrusting of his own muscles capabilities to lift his arm.

Dooku raised himself to his feet, the triumphant glaze over his eyes informed Obi-Wan that the position of his new wound was not an accident, Dooku had dealt out what he had taken ruthlessly. The stench of the burnt charred skin wafted through the corridor, almost making Obi-Wan gag reflexively.

Obi-Wan sought to rejoin the duel but the sight of his apprentice stilled his heart. The two duellists had been so caught up in their own battle of wills that neither had noted the appearance of Ventress, Anakin and a dozen or so security guards.

Obi-Wan efficiently scanned his young padawan over, relieved that the wounds he had received were effectively superficial but again angered that anyone could wrought such evilness on an unarmed child! He knew how much agony Anakin was in now and fervently sent as many healing energies as he could along their now open bond.

 _'Anakin, are you alright?'_ Worry seeped into his tone so he strove to abolish it, Anakin had enough to deal with himself without the addition of Obi-Wan's burdens.

 _'I'm okay, Master, this witch has a real temper though,'_ His young apprentice scowled back at him, causing a small smile to tug at Obi-Wan's lips. That was his Anakin alright, always complaining about the less important things…

 _'Yes I can't say Dooku's much better I'm afraid, I'm glad you're alright, Padawan,'_ Obi-Wan replied sending a good deal of warmth along their bond along with the equivalent of a mental hug before returning his attention back to the ever deteriorating situation developing in front of him.

He could tell from Dooku's expression that he had noted the mental conversation taking place and his face was now plastered with a victorious smile, he knew exactly what Obi-Wan's weaknesses were and obviously was going to stoop to this level. _What happened to the Jedi he used to be?_

"Well, Kenobi, you must recognise defeat when you see it?" He smartly drawled, confident in Obi-Wan's next actions.

Of course he was right, Obi-Wan had already conceded once today where his padawan's life was in question. Glancing at the dark force user who had Anakin in her grip, he didn't doubt for one minute that the women would slice Anakin's head clean off. With a dejected sigh he allowed his saber to disengage and dropped it to the floor glaring darkly at Dooku the entire time, projecting some extremely visual thoughts of him running his saber through the count's heart.

"You do have the most interesting imagination indeed." Dooku's grin only widened, chuckling manically.

The guards that had, until now, hung back in the corners of the poorly lit corridor carefully moved forwards to apprehend him for what felt like the umpteenth time that day. He felt different restraints close around his wrists, they seemed to buzz slightly when moved and when he reached out to feel their mechanisms in the force he was only rewarded with sensing what seemed to be a force bubble. _Oh great, force resistant restraints…_ That would make things interesting indeed.

Of course the next delightful object the guards produced was a syringe, undoubtedly filled to the brim with that awful force suppressant that turned his insides to goo. Not to mention the alarming void it evoked, especially when it came to his bond with Anakin, he tried reaching out to no avail as he realised Dooku must be shielding the training bond again.

The needle was thrust into his neck and Obi-Wan was once again plunged into the void that was his mind, he was getting used to the nauseous after effects now but he didn't think he would ever get used to this feeling of nothingness.

"I apologise for the need of such uncivilised measures," Dooku drawled indicating to the now empty syringe.

Obi-Wan didn't dignify the retort with a response, knowing his rage would seep into his voice if he spoke right now. He was positively livid, he would never forget what Dooku had done to Anakin, ever.

"Of course you're little display just now indicates why they are needed." This time the glint in the Count's eyes shone with amusement, if Obi-Wan didn't know any better he would have identified a small flicker of respect also.

"Have you no honour?" Obi-Wan spat into the face of his opponent, his main aim to antagonise the elder man.

Dooku's facade changed dramatically, all mirth evaporating within the blink of an eye. He purposefully strode towards the captured frame of Obi-Wan and viciously back handed him across the jaw with such force Obi-Wan's neck cracked to the side.

"I guess that's a no then?" Obi-Wan smirked whilst chuckling softly, satisfied with his brief victory.

Dooku's eyes narrowed dangerously, fire rekindled, hand subconsciously reaching towards his saber hilt. Obi-Wan did seem to have an affinity for provoking such an unbecoming lapse in control for the fallen Jedi, Dooku was aware of this fact and was swiftly becoming fed up with it. Obi-Wan felt warnings being screamed out at him as Dooku's lips started to curve into a treacherous smile and reached a hand out to touch Obi-Wan's head.

Obi-Wan stilled in the grips of the guards who were, rather roughly, stopping his attempts of escape from the count's outstretched hand. He could feel Dooku's tentative prodding on his mind and actually gasped out in pain when the prodding turned into a full out assault on his mental shields, which were severely diminished with the newly injected force suppressant. Slamming his eyes shut Obi-Wan desperately battled with Dooku's attempts to break down his barriers, albeit his struggles were in the end futile against the constant barrage of the counts onslaught.

He gasped outright as Dooku tore down every shield and sought exactly what he had come looking for, the memory of Qui-Gon's death. Obi-Wan's heart rate increased as he was forced to relive the feelings and memories of that dreadful moment. He watched achingly as his master's life force slipped away in front of him, unburied feelings resurfacing. Disappointment and misery at not being able to save Qui-Gon, resentment at the boy for being the center of his dear master's last words and finally his outrage at his master for not telling him any of the things he needed to hear before passing. He had wasted his last breath on a boy he didn't even know, Obi-Wan longed to hear praise or gratitude, anything to show that his master cared and was proud of what Obi-Wan had achieved in their long time together. Nothing. His final thoughts were of the boy…

'You know that's not true, Obi-Wan." A distant voice drifted into his mind, he shook himself free of the feelings, of the voice, of everything that was in the past. He desperately tried to force his mind to think about anything else other than what Dooku was prying out of his mind, again though his efforts were fruitless.

"Interesting, so you did care what Qui-Gon thought? Oh my dear Obi-Wan, what unbecoming thoughts of another!" Dooku snarled glancing at Anakin's very still form who in turn feigned an expression of puzzlement.

"Very Un-Jedi like indeed."

"Get out of my head!" Obi-Wan yelled out, eyes scrunched shut desperately trying to push the dark lingering tendrils of Dooku's prying efforts out of his mind. The memory of his master's death replaying in his mind continually as Dooku continued to relentlessly pry, opening up all reserves and battering down any remaining shields that Obi-Wan held in place over those memories.

"Master?" Anakin squeaked as he sensed the memory in question.

Obi-Wan felt his apprentice go rigid and his anxiety and anger levels shot through the roof as he identified Obi-Wan's feelings as Qui-Gon passed into the force in his arms. _Can't he understand I didn't know him yet?_ He was livid at the time but none of those feelings reflect how he feels about his padawan now, Obi-Wan was young, stupid and in a lot of pain.

The hand that had gripped his head was released, Dooku's dastardly medaling had been accomplished. When Obi-Wan managed to regain some sort of control over his mind he pried his eyes open and observed the expressions of the corridor's occupants. Dooku was smirking triumphantly down at him, a mischievous glint twinkling in his eyes, Obi-Wan scowled back at him and averted his attention to the troubled form of his young padawan, Anakin.

He witnessed flickers of mistrust and rage flare over his young charge's face, a brief glimpse of uncertainness brought Obi-Wan hope though, Anakin hadn't been completely swayed. Deciding swiftly that his own memories and feelings would be the only way to get through to his stubborn young apprentice what Dooku was, rather successfully trying to do, cause a rift between them. He delved into his own thoughts, seeking joyous and loving memories of their time together as master and apprentice, conveying how raw and angry he was just after Qui-Gon passed. However he was not truly mad at Anakin, if anything the rage he felt that day was brought on by Qui-Gon himself. Obi-Wan breathed a sigh of relief as he witnessed Anakin release some of his pent up emotions and he was even rewarded with a half-smile, it would have to do for now Dooku obviously intended on causing their trust in one another to deteriorate. Obi-Wan knew he had a tough time on his hands and owed his padawan a further explanation, with that thought conveyed and Anakin's nod of understanding Obi-Wan turned his gaze back to Dooku who looked rather miffed at the most recent turn of events.

"Qui-Gon deserved better than you, you disgrace his memory every day you draw breath," Obi-Wan flatly declared, eliciting a formidably deadly glare from the ex-Jedi.

"Careful, Kenobi. You are trying my patience!" His opponent dangerously snarled back at the man still held still by the forceful guards.

"You have no more control over your emotions than a youngling. You're a disgrace to the order!" Obi-Wan once again dealt a dizzying blow to the count's patience, pushing all the right buttons to invoke a response.

Dooku just about managed to stop himself from striking Obi-Wan as realisation covered his face over what Obi-Wan was trying to do, begrudgingly he had to admit the young knight was once again doing a very good job of it. Dooku settled for glaring at the two prisoner's, some satisfaction seeping onto his features as he noted the partial rift between the two, his actions had done some harm then.

"Not the best start to an apprenticeship, it's a wonder you haven't sensed his misgivings before. I wonder what else he has kept from you?" Dooku directed his latest attack at the young padawan, smirking as the blow found it's mark, on the boy and his master.

"Leave him out of this, Dooku." Obi-Wan seethed staring daggers at the older man.

Dooku allowed himself to chuckle as he sensed Skywalker's trust wavering, feeling out for himself questioning why Obi-Wan had never told him this before. The master/apprentice relationship was built on trust, Dooku had just successfully dealt a rather substantial blow to their previously rock solid foundation, it wouldn't be long before the boy started to voice his concerns to his master. Dooku could feel his trust in his master decrease, it had helped Anakin see his master acting out in anger when they were dueling, the high regard he had held Obi-Wan in was now crumbling before his own eyes.

"Take them away," He ordered satisfied that the damage was done, holding Obi-Wan's angered stare until he was forcefully spun around and marched in the opposite direction, followed closely by his irate and confused padawan.

 _Yes he will do nicely, untamed fire but very, very powerful._ Pleased with the events and the chance to witness Obi-Wan's skill and potential first-hand Dooku stalked off grinning slightly, oblivious to the scowl Ventress was throwing at Kenobi's retreating form…

* * *

Both Obi-Wan and Anakin were tossed into a prison cell, a little worse for wear over the recent turn of events but otherwise further unharmed. Obi-Wan scooted over towards his brooding apprentice, intent on checking over his injuries more thoroughly now they were alone. He could sense even without the force Anakin's slight mistrust, Dooku really had done a number on the boy!

"Anakin, let me take a look, that must hurt dreadfully." He tried prying at the wound, but was shrugged off before he had the chance to have a proper look.

"It's not so bad." Anakin's reply was unusually short and devoid of all emotion, blank eyes staring straight ahead.

Obi-Wan was at a loss for words, he didn't need the force to sense his apprentice's confused and muddled state. Dooku had really rattled him, both of them for that fact. He was saved from finding something to say when Anakin broke the silence himself.

"Master, what Dooku said? Was he lying?" He finally turned to Obi-Wan as he enquired into what had been on his mind ever since he had seen Obi-Wan's memories.

"Anakin, I want you to listen to me, you know how I feel about you. I could NEVER hate you." Obi-Wan threw as much conviction and warmth into the response as he could, it was the unrelenting truth and he needed Anakin to sense that.

Anakin huffed slightly, not completely satisfied with the answer and continuing to think on the count's words. He had after all sensed the memory that Dooku had dug up in Obi-Wan's mind, it couldn't have been easy to watch. Mercifully his attention seemed to sway back to another topic, however Obi-Wan knew he would have to give the boy a much better account of things if he was going to win his trust back completely.

"I thought you were dead," His young apprentice whispered meekly, head hanging low.

"It takes much more than that to keep me down, Ani." Obi-Wan grinned trying desperately to slice through the tension and misery that had built in the room.

He was rewarded with a meek smile from his padawan who then proceeded to lean back against his mentor, Obi-Wan could sense his muddled state over his actions back in the duel and chided himself for not having better control. Dooku always seemed to know exactly which buttons to press, he always pushed Obi-Wan to the limit and this time succeeded in shoving Obi-Wan over the edge of control.

His smile turned to an expression of sadness as he decided to let Anakin sort through his disarrayed thoughts before trying to explain anymore. He felt so very alone as Anakin continued to meditate, but at least was content with the actual presence of his padawan and being able to hear him breathing once again.

Leaning back to let his head rest against the wall suddenly the events of the last hour caught up with him. Obi-Wan was positively exhausted, the strain and exertion on his barely healed muscles had taken a hell of a lot out of him. Glancing down once more at his still brooding apprentice Obi-Wan drifted into an uneasy sleep, exhaustion finally catching up to his body, no longer being held at bay by the force.

* * *

 **A/N So up next I have planned a few more scenes from Dooku's POV, to gain more of an insight into his motives etc...**

 **Until next time...**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N - Sorry I haven't been able to update sooner I have been celebrating my 21st this weekend which didn't leave too much time for writing! Anyway in this chapter and in fact the next one we head back to our hero's for a much needed catchup. I do plan on having the next chapter up within the next few days also as I am away after this weekend for a few days, anyways happy reading!**

 **Thank you for all the feedback as always! I'm glad so many of you are enjoying the journey :D**

 **YumikoWantsCake - Thank you! Indeed, in fact there is another Dooku POV in this chapter which should shed even more light on the situation. Ah well I will not reveal all my plans but you do have to keep in mind this is AU :) Here it is for your enjoyment!**

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Count Dooku hissed as bacta was pressed against his seared arm, saber wounds were always the most agonising. There was no danger of blood loss with them however, the cauterising of the skin took care of that. They always left a scar also, no matter how many bacta bath's one took the puckered skin could never truly be erased. It was of no matter the small mark would be a reminder to him always, never underestimate an opponent. He had underestimated Kenobi dearly and had nearly paid the ultimate price for it, the performance earlier however had the Count grinning manically all the same.

He glared outwards at the dark void that was space, they were nearing separatist territory now which was all the better. The republic didn't come sniffing around these parts unless they were really looking for trouble. Dooku estimated the Jedi council would have learned of the incident by now and have a team out investigating very soon, he had covered his tracks well and was currently shielding Kenobi and Skywalker's force presence's confidently. Therefore they should stay undetected for quite some time.

Frustratingly the young Jedi knew all of the right buttons to press to make Dooku's temper flare, just as he did in return. He knew from Qui-Gon's reports that Kenobi was a cunning strategist, studying and getting inside his enemies head in a matter of minutes. Well he certainly didn't disappoint, his saber skills were unparalleled as well as his potential in the force. If his powers were only channelled in the right way he could be magnificent, the retched council were holding yet another Jedi back. It made him sick.

Count Dooku had been held back whilst he was a member of the order, he had been against their pacifist ways of dealing with situations for years. He had been the one to warn them all, force knows he had tried to push that stubborn council out of their decaying ways yet to no avail. Dooku was no fool, he had felt the power shifting in the galaxy, Qui-Gon's death had been the last straw.

If the council had listened to him from the start the Sith returning wouldn't have been such a surprise, they could have been ready and Qui-Gon would never have perished. Even now after the reemergence right in front of their eyes they still sit and do nothing! They were infuriating and worse of all ignorant, unwilling to carry out the measures they needed to take to ensure the order's survival. They kept parroting the importance of not touching the dark side of the force, it was the reason so many of them had never reached their true potential. Dooku had touched just a slither of it's power and it was far superior, the naive thinking of the Jedi that it was a one way ticket to destruction was one of the many reasons he and they no longer stood on the same side. So Dooku had taken matters into his own hand's, the Jedi were slaves to the republic and he was sick of it. They had one true allegiance that everyone seemed to have forsaken but him, the force.

What they would do if they knew what he did, they were all being played and puppeteered by the dark Sith lord himself, Dooku did admire the chancellors cunningness and genius. He was playing every single one of them for fools. Dooku was no fool, he knew about Sidious' plans for the boy they call 'the chosen one', he didn't really understand the potential everyone seemed to see in the boy. He was far too uncontrolled, too emotional and headstrong, a deadly combination when found together.

No, Kenobi was far superior. He had the control, the skill and most importantly the potential to harness both sides of the force. He just needed a little _persuading._ It wouldn't be an easy task, but they had time. Palpatine wouldn't be aware of the treachery for some time if everything went to plan, Kenobi was already half way there if that duel was anything to go by. The more Dooku chipped at his ideals and beliefs in the decaying and corrupt republic he was striving so hard to protect, the faster the Jedi would fall. Dooku was confident of that, he had plenty of ammunition to ensure it.

There was a surprising amount of pain, bad memories and brushes with darkness already in the young knight's life. It was a surprise that he had never fallen before, he sensed that in the past Kenobi had acted on his emotions. That certainly wasn't the first time he had fought empowered by the dark side, and if Dooku had anything to say about it, it wouldn't be the last.

Qui-Gon had done him a favour by planting the seeds of doubt and mistrust subtly over the years, of course his dear old Padawan would never have dreamed that his misguided actions would be used to turn his own apprentice, but it certainly did make Dooku's job far easier. Obi-Wan had so many insecurities and unresolved feelings over a lot of Qui-Gon's actions, still the boy had worshipped his mentor all the same. Qui-Gon obviously hadn't spent the time to convey his pride and admiration to Obi-Wan himself, it only took Dooku a few seconds of listening to his former Padawan's account of Obi-Wan to identify immense pride in his accomplishments and dangerously an attachment.

Evidently Qui-Gon had never conveyed as much to Kenobi, it was a blessing for Dooku as the insecurities and emotions were a target for him to hit. It was remarkable how oblivious Kenobi had been to his Master's feelings, it was evident to anyone who saw them together. Obi-Wan was Qui-Gon Jinn's pride and joy, his legacy. Maybe it was just outsider perspective, or perhaps Kenobi really was as humble as they say and it never crossed his mind… It need not matter now however, Dooku had tasks to complete before his next meeting with the young Jedi.

He turned towards a security console on the bridge and observed the two occupants of the cell, they both appeared to be resting. Not surprising really, that was quite a fight. They had both spent all their energy and were completely being fuelled by the force by the end. He had noted the rift in the bond between the two before they had parted ways and grinned, his work was starting to unfold…

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The burning smell of plasma was the first thing Obi-Wan was aware of, he opened his eyes to ascertain the location of his new surroundings. The setting made his breath hitch in his throat, Naboo. The cities plasma Refinery complex to be precise, it was just as Obi-Wan remembered right down to the last detail. As if on cue the sound of clashing saber's battered through his confused mind drawing Obi-Wan's attention to the battle taking place near the energy fields. _Oh force no_.

As if in a trace, which the logical part of Obi-Wan's brain was screaming at him this was, his own feet started to move forward along the black walkway of their own accord. Towards the clashing battle up ahead. He witnessed Qui-Gon and the Sith Darth Maul fighting tooth and nail, saber's clashing extraordinarily fast. Both swinging, pivoting and leaping trying to find purchase anywhere. Of course Obi-Wan already knew the outcome of this battle, why was he stuck in this nightmare?

His thoughts were momentarily broken by none other than his younger self, it was strange looking at this whole event from an outsider's point of view to say the least. His feet once again carried him towards the now closed energy barriers, Darth maul stuck at one end, Obi-Wan the other with his Master stuck in between.

He observed his younger self's restlessness, he remembered feeling it. This felt like so long ago now, even though it had been only three years the events of this fateful day had aged Obi-Wan years far exceeding the actual time. He was a Master now, no longer a Padawan even if he still felt like one inside, he hadn't even been given the chance to be a knight before Anakin was thrust into his life.

It was the worst way any partnership could have ended, the death of the Master. Usually a Padawan must undergo trials at the end of their apprenticeship, upon successfully completing them would they be knighted a Jedi. Obi-Wan knew his Master had been preparing him for the trials, he remembered feeling as if he wasn't ready for them then and wanted nothing more than to spend a few more years under Qui-Gon's wing. Of course in Obi-Wan's case he never faced the trials, the council felt that facing and defeating the first Sith in 1000 years was trial enough so he was instantly knighted. It had always felt hollow, he could never truly feel pride or joy over it as the entire event was fore shadowed by the tragedy that also occurred.

He had always dreamt about the day when he would be knighted, in his dreams he knelt whilst Qui-Gon cut off the learners braid they had both painstakingly threw their hearts and souls into. The braid was a symbol of the journey both Master and apprentice had travelled throughout their time together, it was weaved with markers indicating trials that Obi-Wan had undergone. Qui-Gon had looked on proudly as Obi-Wan took his place beside him as a brother of the order, pride emanating from every fibre of his being.

In reality Obi-Wan had been robbed of his dream, by none other than the Sith. Instead of being a jubilant moment in his life, his knighting was just another painful reminder of the loss he had suffered and what his future was going to be riddled with. He could see the sweat pouring down his younger self's face, arms and muscles trembling, he remembered being pretty worn out by this point having already taken quite a beating.

Unlike his former self, Obi-Wan could step straight through the sizzling barrier and started heading towards the kneeling position of his old Master Qui-Gon and the still pacing darkness that was Darth Maul. He gazed down at his Master, astonished at the picture of calmness and serenity staring back. Glancing back he noted he had been no better than Maul, itching to rejoin the fight, his mind was once again showing him he had still had very much to learn.

It wasn't long before the energy barriers rotated allowing Qui-Gon to surge forward and bring some heavy assaults down upon the Sith creature, Obi-Wan had spent the last decade training with Qui-Gon. He knew his Master was pulling out all the stops here, if only he had waited for Obi-Wan! The snap of the energy barriers echoed behind him, he spun just in time to observe his younger self nearly getting sliced in half by the red field. All of the feelings raced through him once again, helplessness, hopelessness, unworthiness. Qui-Gon had been relying on him to make it through, he needed him and Obi-Wan simply hadn't run fast enough. If only he had a few more seconds he would have made it… How cruel fate was in the universe.

His gaze traversed back to the scintillating lights in the pit room, emerald green met crimson red time and time again. Speed increasing, skill flourishing. Qui-Gon and Maul parried and twirled across the narrow space, force screaming with warning. This was it, the moment that had haunted his dreams for three years, being played out more vividly before his eyes than ever before. Obi-Wan tried to turn away, tried to close his eyes but he was rooted to the spot nothing he did changed the fact he was about to watch his Master be impaled. He felt his breath quicken and heard his younger self's do the same, he too had noted the tiredness seeping through into Qui-Gon's form.

Maul circled Qui-Gon once more, before delivering a dizzying set of attacks ranging from swings from either side to a shot at his face. His saber hilt crashed into Qui-Gon's head not once but twice, leaving the Jedi's midriff open for the taking. Obi-Wan felt an inhuman scream tear itself from his lungs as the dark user's saber was thrust with such hatred through his Master's chest. He heard his other self scream out too, shock, agony, contempt lacing the tone. The look of shock on Qui-Gon's dying eyes never did leave him, tears threatened to escape as he watched his body crash forward saber hilt rolling out of reach.

Stunned Obi-Wan felt his feet move of their own accord again, moving closer and closer to the now still form of his Master, empty glazed eyes stared back at him boring into his very self, he felt himself crash to his knees no longer having the strength to hold himself upright anymore.

The ensuing battle behind him didn't even take a slither of Obi-Wan's attention, he heard the clashing of saber's, felt the loathing his younger self was feeling towards the Sith. It had nearly cost him his life… As he stared down at Qui-Gon Jinn's very still form he felt hot tears prickling at the corner of his eyes, he could sense his Master's life force leaving him. The still smoking hole in his chest was far too severe to be anything other than fatal, Obi-Wan knew that now but at the time refused to believe his Master was going to die. It wasn't supposed to happen this way, they hadn't even finished training, his Master hadn't cut his braid and proudly stood beside him as he became a knight of the order. No they were robbed of that, by that evil creature.

Obi-Wan glanced back at the evil being in time to see him trying to slash at his younger self who had obviously already fallen down the pit, Obi-Wan knew what happened next and quite happily observed as he sailed over the Zabrak's head called Qui-Gon's light saber to hand and cut the beast clean in two. When he had been dangling down in the pit, helpless feeling so ever alone, he had trusted in Qui-Gon's training and honoured his teachings. Abolishing all anger and hatred he had called on the force to empower his leap of faith and was rewarded with catching the Zabrak warrior off guard. The separated body parts of the Sith fall backwards sailing to the deepest pit where to this day he would still be rotting.

His younger self rushed over to Qui-Gon's very still form, cradling his head wishing that it was not already too late. Heart-breakingly Obi-Wan already knew the answer to that question, a flood of tears were now running freely down his cheeks. It was as if he were feeling his younger self's emotions as well as his own, the agony and torment was almost too much.

"It's too late." It shocked Obi-Wan how weak the voice sounded, maybe at the time his denial overrode his ability to take notice, to any observer it was obvious that Qui-Gon only had a few moments left in this world.

"No!" Flat out denial met his Master's response.

"Obi-Wan, promise. Promise me you will train the boy." His voice was getting so quiet now, he was struggling with words his body failing him with every breath.

"Yes Master." Always the dutiful Padawan on the surface, Obi-Wan knew better he could feel the fury and anguish battling inside his former self.

"He is the chosen one, he… he will bring balance. Train him…"

Those were the last words Qui-Gon Jinn ever spoke, muttered with his dying breath. Dooku had been correct, Obi-Wan had longed to hear praise from his Master wished selfishly that his last thoughts would be of him, to tell him it was going to be okay, anything but that. Having Dooku rummage around in his mind must have caused this memory to be the one to torment him in his unconsciousness this time, his words still echoing through the dream 'What unbecoming thoughts of another!'

The agony and anguish ripped right through his heart as the bond he shared with Qui-Gon was forcibly ripped from his mind, it shattered leaving deep scars in it's wake that Obi-Wan could still feel to this day. Dying in such a horrific and violent way, the bond had essentially just snapped, causing unchecked misery for Obi-Wan.

It made Obi-Wan feel sick the feelings emanating from his former self, jealousy, envy and worst of all a loss so gaping it was as if the Sith really had left a gaping whole through both their chest's that day. No wonder Anakin was questioning him, he would have felt these feelings his younger self was projecting.

"Master… Please I need you… Master?" The sorrowful pleading emanating from Obi-Wan's past was truly heart breaking.

Obi-Wan tore his eyes away from his younger self huddled over the newly deceased body of Qui-Gon Jinn, fighting back more tears, wishing for this harrowing memory to be over and to return to the corporal world.

"Master?"

Funny that voice wasn't his own, the projection of Naboo faded into nothingness leaving behind the events of the time but never the emotions. No, those still haunted Obi-Wan to this very day seeping into his dreams, nightmares; unexpectedly appearing when they were not wanted.

"Master wake up!"

The voice was definitely high pitched, far too high pitched to have originated from his younger self's throat. No, the speech drifting through his subconscious belonged to that of another. Anakin Skywalker.

With a jolt Obi-Wan's eyes flew open, pupils wide and unfocussed. He felt something wet drip down his cheeks and realised he must have been crying here too, he focussed his gaze upwards as concerned blue eyes bore down into his own. This was when Obi-Wan became aware of his surroundings, at some time during his nightmare he had slumped further and further down the wall to the position his body was currently uncomfortably sprawled now, half way between the floor and the wall, neck bent at an exceedingly painful angle. His distress must have been projected as this apprentice's next move was to help nudge his Master upright again into a more agreeable position, which was very much appreciated.

"You were, erm, having a nightmare Master." Anakin squeaked, uncertain over his handling of waking up Obi-Wan.

"Yes, I'm sorry if I scared you Ani, it wasn't a pleasant memory." He felt his own voice crack as flashes of the awful events filtered through his mind.

Anakin seemed to visibly recoil and Obi-Wan winced once again forgetting he probably had been projecting a lot of his thoughts, for all he knew Anakin had seen the entire memory, had felt every feeling, by the look on his apprentice's ghostly white pallor Obi-Wan deduced he most likely had.

"I have nightmares too…" The voice was so petrified, so small. It made the next words Obi-Wan was going to say stick in his throat.

He peered downwards upon his apprentice who had scooted to lean against the wall next to him, head hung low, learner's braid a mess all twisted and clotted with dried blood. Obi-Wan knew that Anakin had nightmares, visions in fact, the boy hadn't learned to shield himself well enough for them not to seep through the training bond on occasion. His apprentice had never actually admitted to him about them before, Obi-Wan had hoped acceptance would come in time. Maybe Anakin was starting to question whether they were just nightmares or something more.

"About your mother?"

This was the most likely source of his anguish, the flashes Obi-Wan had glimpsed usually involved Shmi Skywalker. It was a subject Obi-Wan also struggled with when it came to his Padawan, he had lived in the temple for as long as he could remember. The people he bonded with were creche Masters, and fellow younglings. When Obi-Wan tried to think back to a time before the Jedi temple, to any remnants of memories of his birth family, there was just nothing. How was he supposed to counsel a young boy on the loss of his life with his mother when he himself had never lived that life? He could parrot the code at his young charge until he was blue in the face but both of them knew that Anakin was different to other Jedi, in more ways than one. The only common ground Obi-Wan could think of was his relationship to Qui-Gon, the man had practically raised him and that loss was like a knife through the heart. If that's what his Padawan felt every day then Obi-Wan knew exactly how he felt, the worst thing was he hadn't found an answer to moving on just yet.

"Yeah…"

They were both silent after the admission, Anakin not willing to give anymore details and Obi-Wan not sure what words would be of some comfort to his young charge.

"Master, I saw what you were dreaming about… Losing somebody really sucks!"

Obi-Wan sucked in a breath as Anakin relayed his worst fears, he had seen the gruesome memory. He ended up chuckling however as Anakin summed up both of their feelings perfectly, this was where there common ground was, for Anakin his mother and for Obi-Wan his Master.

Anakin's features softened too as he noted his Master's levity, they really were getting better at understanding one another. Obi-Wan sighed deeply and turned away steeling himself for the conversation to come, he didn't want to break this new found peace but he and Anakin had a lot to discuss, the sooner he dealt with this ugliness the better.

"Anakin we have to discuss what happened earlier, what happened on Skepaf's ship." Obi-Wan started, tentatively brining up the ugly affair.

"I don't want to talk about it." Anakin shot back quickly, all mirth and softness escaping from him.

"Padawan what you did…" This was going to be trickier than Obi-Wan imagined, Anakin was being overly defensive already and they hadn't even begun yet! Before Obi-Wan could finish with lecturing his young charge however he was interrupted forcibly.

"Don't! I know what I did! Do you think I'm happy with what I wanted to do to that monster?" Anakin screeched at his Master, head whipping round face contorted in pain over the harrowing memories.

"Anakin you will control your temper, you nearly killed a man because you let your anger overcome your emotions. You know why we don't give into our own feelings, with our training and powers the consequences could be catastrophic."

Obi-Wan desperately tried to save the conversation before either of them went too far, he calmed his own emotions and implored Anakin to see reason.

"I saw you with Dooku, I know what you did. Hypocrite!" Anakin viciously dealt a dizzying blow as he spat the latest remark, blood boiling, temper raging.

"Padawan!" Obi-Wan could not stand for that, he too spat the usually endearing word back at his own apprentice, leaning over him menacingly as he did so.

If Obi-Wan had ever acted disrespectfully to Qui-Gon he had too employed ruthless tactics that had Obi-Wan pleading forgiveness immediately, taking one look at Anakin he knew this would never be the case with their partnership. The boy was far too stubborn and headstrong to squirm under Obi-Wan's seething gaze. A new tactic then…

Their faces were just a hair's width away from touching, heightened emotions threatening to boil over, breath coming in quick heavy bursts. Obi-Wan took a deep centering breath and strove to abolish all the feelings Anakin was making him feel, this was an important moment and he had to take the lead with this.

"Anakin, what you saw…" Obi-Wan purposefully lowered his voice and tone, with the knowledge that he had been acting just as poorly as Dooku had.

"Master I'm sorry, I didn't mean it I let my anger get the better of me again!" Anakin interrupted Obi-Wan's speech for a second time, however now he was regretful of his harsh words thrown at his mentor.

"Will you let me finish please?" Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow requiring absolute attention and silence from the other occupant in their cell, when Anakin meekly nodded he continued.

"I'm a young fool Ani, I know I'm your Master but I am still learning too. Now tell me what does being a Jedi mean?"

A pause as he observed Anakin consider the implications of the word.

"It means seeking knowledge to help those in need". When he did answer it was fuelled with conviction and knowledge that this was the answer Obi-Wan was expecting.

"Exactly, we are all on a path of knowledge Padawan, I just happen to be further ahead than you. That doesn't mean I know all the answers and as you've witnessed I still make mistakes. It's alright to make mistakes that's how we learn." He continued to explain, content with the sight of Anakin taking in his words.

"Dooku seems to want me to lose control, he plays on my attachments which cause my emotions to run unchecked. You are now seeing first hand why attachments are so deadly, to us and those around us…"

A heavy silence fell between the two young Jedi, each lost in their own thoughts mulling over the implications of the last day. Anakin's brows furrowed which was a classic sign of his concentration, he was evidently reflecting on the lesson Obi-Wan was trying to convey about attachment and anger.

"Sometimes I feel I'm too young to be teaching you, as my dear old Master used to say I still have very much to learn." He continued breaking the silence, Obi-Wan had never told anyone about his insecurities yet here he was trusting them to his apprentice of all people, he should be stronger for Anakin's sake…

"I never thought you were too young Master! You seem to know everything, well almost…" Anakin obviously sensed his misgivings and being the caring person he was immediately leapt to quash them, well he could never help himself when it came to teasing.

This was the boy Obi-Wan had come to love, honest, kind, generous. It was probably the main reason he had freaked when Anakin had lost control earlier, it was so unlike him. The real Anakin Skywalker was truly exceptional.

"Further insolence will not help your cause my very young apprentice." Obi-Wan smirked mirth glittering his eyes.

He grinned when Anakin stilled and glanced up pleading for mercy with his eyes, he was a quick learner and had grown to know that tone to usually be followed up by swift punishment. Obi-Wan decided to let him off the hook considering the situation, it was truly marvellous to have Anakin being his old self again.

Obi-Wan broke the silence, putting his Padawan out of his misery. The relief on Anakin's face when he realised there would be no reprimand brought an even bigger grin to his face.

"They say the partnership is right when the apprentice also teaches the Master, so I guess we do work well as a team."

"Well yeah I teach you loads of things like mechanics and stuff." Anakin beamed, joyful that they were getting back to their old ways.

"I was thinking more along the lines of you forcing me to be very creative when it comes to punishments." Obi-Wan teased, smirking at his young apprentice's affronted form.

"No fair!" Anakin complained, indignation sprawled over his features.

"Life is not fair Ani, let be that the first lesson I teach you in our new found truce." Obi-Wan's face had transformed into seriousness, however hard he tired though there was no chance he could keep it up for very long. Less than a few seconds later he was grinning manically again, chuckling at his Padawan's furrowed brows and mock look of hurt.

Anakin looked miffed for a further 5 seconds before breaking out into a meek smile, they both had much to learn indeed.

"We should meditate, it will clear our minds and feelings." Obi-Wan declared, leading by example and preparing to attempt and enter meditation. He knew it would not be easy with the force suppressant, but not entirely impossible.

"Yes Master." Anakin muttered whilst following suit to find his own center.

They both fell into the endless currents of the force, seeking answers and clarification on their feelings. One thing was for certain, they both had very much to learn…

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 **A/N - The next chapter will continue on from this scene, the boys certainly have a few things to resolve! Also we will be catching up with the council pretty soon, like I said I plan to have the next chapter up within the next few days for you guys :)**

 **Thanks again for the ongoing feedback and interest it really brings a smile to my face!**

 **Until next time...**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N - As promised here is the next instalment I have just got back from my trip hence the slight delay! This chapter catches up with the Jedi and continues on from the last chapter hope you all enjoy!**

 **Yeeeee (interesting name :) ) - thank you :D I'm glad you like the way I write them! More of them in this chapter!**

 **Annie Walker - Thank you I did indeed :D Exactly Dooku firmly believes he is right in this instance, more right the Jedi council. He has warned them time and time again its no wonder he wasn't happy with being ignored, and Qui-Gon's death was the last straw... Indeed Dooku's plans are ambitious and Obi-Wan is foremost at the front of those plans! Yes poor old Qui-Gon... Here is the next chapter as promised :D**

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Grand-Master Yoda of the Jedi order did not take any fluctuations in the force lightly, for some time now he had spent more and more time deep in meditation seeking any source of the imbalance, few were sensing, in the currents of the force. It had only become apparent after the tragic events of Naboo which lead to a great Jedi Master losing his life and revealed an awful truth, the Sith had returned.

Most others on the council and master's around the temple too were very cautious and disbelieving of the prospect of another Sith at large. Yoda had lived for over 800 years however and was far more attuned to the force than any other Jedi alive, he felt now more than ever a great shift in power and disturbance in the force, two there always was the master and the apprentice.

The disturbance in the force seemed to be growing larger and more ominous by the day, however hard he tried Yoda couldn't ascertain or pinpoint the source of the shift. The only thing that was becoming clearer was the knowledge of two Jedi's future intertwining with the deadly threat, Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi and his padawan Anakin Skywalker.

Shaking his head slightly Yoda could scarcely believe it, Obi-Wan was like a magnet for the dark side. That boy had seen and faced more darkness in his short number of years than any other Jedi had the right to in their entire careers. He was even part of a lineage that dabbled with darkness, not just once but twice, it also just happened the same teaching lineage that Master Yoda was a part of having trained Master Dooku when he was a youngling.

That had indeed been a blow to the order, but not an unexpected one. Well not for Master Yoda at least, he and Dooku had been at odds over the ways of the order for some time and he had been outwardly displaying more and more flirtations with the dark side. Of course he had never embraced the dark side physically whilst under the temple roof, but Yoda had started to notice the tendrils attaching themselves to his former padawan's mind enticing him with power. It was not the first time Yoda had seen it in his exceedingly long life time, he had intended to take intervention to the next level and approach his former padawan directly however before he could do so news reached them all that Dooku had left the Jedi order to return and claim his birth right. It had always felt like Dooku was running away from something, whether that was the darkness or the Jedi order itself Yoda never could determine. Any attempts of communication with his old padawan were rebuffed.

Now as Yoda attempted to reach out to connect with his former padawan all he found was darkness, it was like staring into a bottomless dark pit which left the force surrounding him in turmoil. Yoda sighed, it was beyond a tragedy when one of their own fell to the enticing dark side. They were lost, and if truly fallen trapped in that state for the rest of their living days. A fate worse than death. Dooku had been a powerful Jedi, Yoda ought to know he trained him himself. Having that kind of power but for evil was extremely deadly, Yoda realised now that he had made an awful mistake not going after Dooku when he first left. There was no use dwelling on the past however, the here now and future were all that mattered.

He pulled himself from the deep trance-like state as a familiar presence strode towards the entrance to his chambers, force signature in a state of urgency and slight controlled panic.

Yoda lifted a clawed hand and swiped the door open just before the fidgety Jedi Master chimed the bell, to his credit however Mace Windu didn't look the slightest bit frazzled at the fore sight. He was evidently far too used to it. Indicating to a meditation cushion beside him, Yoda waited patiently for Mace to start. He could already sense something had gone very awry and couldn't help but get the nagging feeling that it and his concerns were connected.

"Master, something troubling has been bought to our attention." Mace spoke grimly.

"Go on." The small master indicated as he felt the force surge around the korun Jedi.

"It's Kenobi and Skywalker, they never arrived on the Senator's home world." His tone was flat to most outsider's, but Yoda knew better he had too felt the disturbance in the force recently and too shared in Yoda's beliefs about the Sith. Mace was worried.

"Hmmm."

This was very troubling news indeed, Obi-Wan was a very competent Jedi. This assignment had not been tricky and there were no signs of any serious difficulties, hence the council had agreed to send a padawan as young as Skywalker out too.

The darkness seemed to swirl around the padawan even more than his master, ever since Yoda first laid eyes on the youth he had felt it. Yes there was no question the boy was strong in the force, exceedingly strong and could one day even rival himself with his powers if trained correctly. It had been a very difficult decision to allow Obi-Wan to train Skywalker, he had been adamant however and would have done so with or without the order's help. At least this way Obi-Wan had the support he needed, force knew he needed it with that one. With Skywalker it wasn't just like Obi-Wan where darkness seemed to be attracted to him, it was if his future lead to a point where light and dark converged. Yoda had never seen or sensed anything like it, this latest news and his latest revelations in mediation did not make matters better. It seemed whether they liked it or not Obi-Wan and Anakin would be facing a trial with darkness, he just hoped Skywalker was ready for it.

"We have received the call for help from the planet, they say the ship the senator was travelling on is now 8 hours over due. The last communication they had with them was before they jumped to hyperspace after they had boarded," Mace continued interrupting Yoda's reverie.

"Very troubling, this is. The dark side in their future I sense."

Mace looked very alarmed when Yoda muttered the rest of his sentence, he could not be sure what Kenobi and Skywalker faced. But one thing was for certain, it stunk of the dark side of the force.

"We should send out an investigative team, the planet says they have located the ship. It appears to be stationary in space and is off course, it took them this long to locate it in the first place and it isn't replying to communication calls."

"Yes, send more Jedi, will we. Important, I sense this is." Yoda agreed with his fellow council member whilst starting to rise to his feet, hand stretched out catching his flying gimmer stick.

Shakily Yoda lead the way out of his chambers, intent on sending out an investigative team as soon as possible. Mace followed soon behind him also deep in thought. Yoda couldn't shake the bad feeling the conversation had left him with, as much as he tried he couldn't identify Kenobi and Skywalker anywhere in the force, but there was one thing that was very clear. Their futures were clouded at best.

* * *

Being in a meditative trance was always a new experience every time Obi-Wan undertook it, even though it was a timeless affair where essentially the mind disembarked from the body Obi-Wan felt as though he hadn't been in this state for very long before physical surroundings started to manifest before his eyes. Never before had he been involved in such vivid visions, or for that case been a part of them. Not until Dooku went crawling around in the deep recess' of his mind however…

The feeling was much like earlier when Obi-Wan had found himself reliving his recollection of the events on Naboo, _Oh force no not again_. His fears and misconceptions were quashed as the surrounding became clear and Obi-Wan recognised the innards of the Jedi temple. _Home._

Glancing around he quickly ascertained that he was situated in the upper levels of the temple, more specifically the long expansive corridor that lead to the council chamber. Obi-Wan glanced around, no people, no way to determine when this was supposed to be. He drifted towards the window in hopes of finding an answer to the query, hopefully he would be able to recognise any significant changes in the skyline to a certain decade in his life.

Reaching the viewport Obi-Wan sighed as the sight that greeted him was almost identical to the one he had passed with Anakin when they had been summoned for their first assignment, even though that felt like years ago in itself. That meant whenever this was, it wasn't far time-wise from the here and now. With the pattern these memories seemed to be showing him, Obi-Wan was fairly certain he knew precisely what this memory was and again had absolutely no interest in reliving it.

His worst fears were realised as a chime on the lift indicated arrivals to the floor, the imposing form of Qui-Gon Jinn strode out as soon as the door's opened partially, charging forward at a brisk place determination emitting from his force aura. The sight of his younger self following dutifully to the right and a few paces behind brought a lump to his own throat, he had shown his loyalty and dedication up until the last moment. Even as Qui-Gon cast him aside like an old possession, moving onto his new _project_.

Shaking himself mentally Obi-Wan once again felt his limbs negotiate the pathway to the council chamber doors, following closely behind the duo.

Obi-Wan observed as his younger self fidgeted slightly on his feet, he could sense the bad feeling his younger self was feeling even now. He had been right, as he always was with his bad feelings.

His feet drifted forward as the pair were ushered into the council chamber, glancing round Obi-Wan noted nothing had really changed between then and the present day. Then again it had only been 3 years even if it did feel like a life time. His eyes surveyed the domed room before falling to the small figure standing directly in front of the council members.

Anakin Skywalker stood in the centre of the room, Obi-Wan marveled at the fact he wasn't even slightly intimidated. Here were the 12 most powerful beings in all the galaxy and the boy acted as if he didn't have a care in the world, which to be fair now Obi-Wan knew him better was not as surprising. Anakin was certainly a confident child.

Obi-Wan observed the proceedings dejectedly as Mace Windu announced the boy would not be trained, they saw how dangerous he could be then and there. Anakin was far too old to be taken as a youngling they all knew it. He felt his younger self's anxiousness rise as he witnessed the tell-tale signs of Qui-Gon's defiance. If only he had known his true motives…

"Clouded this boy's future is," Yoda spoke out indicating to the young form of Anakin Skywalker.

There was a long pause in the room, everyone seemed to wait on edge for the famous maverick to dispute their decision. Of course what he actually ended up declaring shocked everyone.

 _"I will train him then."_

A substantial punch to the gut, he whipped his head back towards Qui-Gon just as his younger self did staring in disbelief as his master stepped forward to stand behind Anakin and place his hands protectively on his shoulders.

"I will take Anakin as my padawan learner".

As if the feelings couldn't get any worse, that line had him almost on his knees. All breath in Obi-Wan's lungs was snatched away as he felt everything his younger self was feeling. It was dizzying to say the least.

He felt the waves of anger slam into him which were obviously directed at Anakin, it made him wince. It was misdirected pain, the real person at fault here was Qui-Gon not Anakin.

The rest of the council's conversation dulled to an annoying buzz, the pit opening in Obi-Wan's chest widened to an alarming rate threatening to swallow him whole. How had he remained so calm upon the surface? He could feel his turbulent emotions now 10 fold. The shock, anger, rage, confusion, betrayal…

What had he done wrong? What could he have disappointed Qui-Gon with so greatly that he would resort to this? He didn't even have the decency to discuss it or even the possibility of it before the meeting, his mental shields and the training bond slammed shut with such ferocity Obi-Wan nearly toppled over then and there. His younger self didn't fare too much better either. Time seemed to slow, he glared over at the man he once looked up to as a father, with his hands draped over Anakin's shoulders. Completely shunning Obi-Wan, in body and in spirit.

Qui-Gon's actions that day were like a hundred cuts to his heart, the agony and confusion emanating from his younger self was too overwhelming. Mercifully he was spared the rest of the memory as the room faded to a brilliant white leaving behind the physical embodiments of the Jedi, the turbulent emotions remained though. The damage was done, even without being witness to the rest of the memory, he had lived through for a second time the heart-breaking words pouring out of _his_ master's own mouth.

 _"I will take Anakin as my padawan learner"_

The words echoed throughout Obi-Wan's tormented mind until he felt as though he was clawing at his own skull, desperately seeking to scour the traumatising memory from his psyche. A new setting started to make itself known to him, he was back _here_ again.

Obi-Wan wandered aimlessly, eyes downcast, restless legs barely carrying him onwards traversing his favourite path in the room of a thousand fountain's. Why was he still coming here? He had always associated this peaceful setting with serenity and so it fathomed him that now of all times, when his emotions and feelings were in complete turmoil battling to overcome his calm state, his mind had brought him here. Dooku had definitely messed with something when he had been crawling around inside his head, whether that was just drudging up all these painful memories or breaking down barriers Obi-Wan's mind had erected long ago to save himself the agony, whatever had been done it was becoming exceedingly difficult to remain objective and detached. He was vexed.

He couldn't deny that to himself, he had never truly resolved his frustration towards Qui-Gon. Especially the last few days before he passed into the force, everything just happened too suddenly there was no time to question his master properly or deal with his unwanted feelings. Then his master had died… Obi-Wan had been thrust into a whole new world and all previous emotions and grievances stayed in the past, or so he thought, until Dooku came into his life and questioned everything that he once thought deeply buried.

Obi-Wan kicked a rock which was adjoining the path way with such force it went flying across the space and crashed with a splash into one of the many water features littering the room, every time he persisted to let these disturbances leave his mind the stronger they came back. Dooku wasn't lying, he had been there himself when Qui-Gon had announced another padawan. In front of him. In front of the entire council. Just as though he was yesterday's garbage.

Rage threatened to boil over the surface as he felt his own heartbeat rise, flashes of the memory playing out through his head. The shock over his master's abandonment of him stabbing at every inch of his body, hot tears threatened to escape once again as the emotions of that meeting came flooding back.

Another rock, much larger this time but that didn't stop Obi-Wan booting it for all he was worth, yelling out into the empty air as he did so.

"What did that pathetic life form ever do to you?"

Not so empty then.

Qui-Gon towered over him large as life, he had appeared seemly out of nowhere. If Obi-Wan was honest with himself however, he certainly had not been paying attention to his surroundings, he had been dangerously lost in his thoughts. The worrying part though was the subject of those thoughts, and here he was fixed towering and righteous in his way.

The tone of the question had been playful at best, mirth glittering into his old master's eyes before he acknowledged the aggressive posture of his former padawan and burning gaze. Obi-Wan was certain the Jedi Master had sensed his feelings, felt his unsavoury thoughts as the elder men's gaze grew into a stern look. Obi-Wan was very used to seeing this glare, it was always immediately followed by a reprimand, well he was no longer this man's student and had absolutely no intention on having a conversation with him. In his current state of mind it would only end badly.

"I don't want to talk to you." Obi-Wan spat, maybe a little more harshly than necessary, before barging past his old master trying desperately to ignore the pang of guilt sparking in his chest as he glimpsed the hurt pass over Qui-Gon's features.

"Padawan!" The stern voice bellowed over the short distance, all mirth and humour lost in the undercurrents of disappointment.

Obi-Wan halted outright, that tone and word with his master's voice used to have been enough to have him quivering and begging his mentor's forgiveness. 'That was in the past,' he thought bitterly to himself before continuing forward at a quickened pace not willing to take part in the conversation for a second longer.

It seemed fate, or the image of Qui-Gon, had other ideas however. A strong grip yanked his upper arm attempting to twist him round, a decade of reaction honing and Jedi training had Obi-Wan in motion before his mind even caught up to what his body was doing. In one fluid motion the towering form of Qui-Gon Jinn went sailing over his shoulder, arm twisted painfully behind his back in an attempt to force the elder man to release his vice-like grip on his former student's forearm.

Of course Qui-Gon had been training far longer than Obi-Wan, well before the boy was even born, so instead of that being the end of things he flipped the tables on Obi-Wan almost instantly, whipping around whilst sweeping his legs round in an arc. Obi-Wan went down hard in a tangle of limbs as the elder man's legs swept at his own, he still had Qui-Gon's arm in his grip and his opponent still had hold of his arm. Obi-Wan halted the man's attempts of rising by delivering a brutal kick to his unprotected chest.

In less than a second of them both being on the floor, were the two men enthralled in a desperate grappling match, both franticly attempting to find purchase. Qui-Gon looked furious, and Obi-Wan didn't feel too chirpy either. The alarming emotions radiated from either man as they sprawled on the floor, flipping each other over, twisting limbs in all manner of angles attempting to incapacitate the other. The match came to almost a standstill as either man had their legs tangled around the other's necks, applying pressure in an attempt to pacify the other.

"What has gotten into you Obi-Wan?!" Qui-Gon squeaked as best he could with his padawan's thighs squeezing even tighter around his larynx.

Instead of answering the plea Obi-Wan strove to scramble as far away from the elder Jedi as he could, swiftly he released his old on his master and swung all of his limbs round in time to crash against Qui-Gon's hold. With a grunt the elder man released his limbs and grappling hold long enough for Obi-Wan to roll away and rise, heart threatening to race right out of his chest, breath coming in angry sharp intakes. He glared down at the still sprawled and equally panting form of Qui-Gon, sweat glistened the man's forehead. He didn't attempt to rise, only laid back in a more comfortable position, feigning non-aggressive intentions. Obi-Wan was not fooled, he had started to lose trust in this man the day he renounced his training.

"I have _nothing_ to say to you," he venomously spat at the fallen man and sauntered away briskly before anymore harsh words spilled out of his mouth.

"What lies has he been pouring into your head? You can't trust him you know!" Qui-Gon called back, desperately attempting to break through Obi-Wan's frame of mind.

The exclamation was enough to stop Obi-Wan in his tracks, he whipped his head round intent on studying the man's face seeking treachery or at the very least signs of deception.

"Ha! Trust, you're one to talk… I was there Master. I felt everything!" He turned to face Qui-Gon who was in the process of rising to his feet again, a little worse for wear after their latest discussion.

The remark was far more bitter and hateful than Obi-Wan intended but the message was sent loud and clear, Qui-Gon even stumbled slightly as the projections he was sending over the memory in question found his mind.

"Padawan…"

"Leave it!… That's what you do best, _master_." The ending of the retort wasn't much louder than a whisper, but Obi-Wan knew his master had heard him anyway as a mask of hurt and despair sprawled across his sweat soaked features.

Obi-Wan stormed off to seek a place far far away from Qui-Gon Jinn, blood boiling, temper fuming. He didn't even wait around to find out if his master had anything to say to defend himself over the memory and how callously he had acted, he would probably justify it by saying ' _I serve the force Obi-Wan'_. Obi-Wan did not care to listen to what ever fabrication that his master would have come up with so quickened his pace into a light jog, whilst wishing to be done with this place.

His prayers were soon answered as the ambience of cascading water dulled and the now disturbed haven blurred away into nothingness leaving Obi-Wan alone in his mind, teetering on the edge of meditation which ended abruptly as he surfaced from the unhelpful experience disappointed with himself. The meditation was supposed to have aided in releasing the emotions and unharboured memories he was experiencing, it seemed to have just made matters a whole lot worse however…

* * *

When Obi-Wan cracked his eyes open not much seemed to have changed in the surroundings, Anakin was still knelt in front of him and by the looks of things was also bringing himself out of his deep trance. Obi-Wan was again impressed with his padawan's leap of skill, he was usually too impatient to meditate for a prolonged period of time, yet here he was surprising his mentor yet again. Obi-Wan's smile fell as Anakin surfaced with a pained expression, accusing and questioning emotions swirling around them.

Obi-Wan sighed, his padawan had gone looking again and had most likely stumbled across the very memory Dooku had tried to use earlier to turn them against one another. He had said to Anakin then that he owed him an explanation, he realised the longer he left this the greater the rift would become between them.

"I'm guessing you saw the council chamber memory?" Obi-Wan questioned glancing down at Anakin's emotion filled gaze.

"It wasn't what I saw master, it was what you were feeling." Anakin's voice trembled slightly, eyes shooting downcast unsure of himself all of a sudden.

"I owe you an explanation I know that."

At that Anakin's head shot up, evidently he had been expecting more stalling or just flat out denial. Obi-Wan was not going to do that to his apprentice, he owed him an answer. He had been out of line in the said question and the anger directed towards Anakin had been misguided, his real source of frustration and blame should be placed firmly on Qui-Gon's shoulders. He was the one who caused the entire thing and for such a seasoned diplomat, he couldn't have handled the entire mission in a worse way.

"I thought it was all your fault that my master was acting that way," Obi-Wan began, total honesty being the way forward with the conversation.

"Did you really hate me?" Anakin squeaked, already afraid of the answer.

Obi-Wan groaned mentally, this was not going to be easy. Anakin deserved the truth though and he was going to tell him everything. He then paused for a moment, waiting until Anakin glanced upward again before preparing himself for a difficult conversation.

"You have to remember Anakin I was Qui-Gon's apprentice for over a decade, he raised and made me into the Jedi I am today. Imagine if I declared my loyalty to another padawan and cast you aside, how would you feel?"

It took Anakin only a few moments to mull over the dilemma before snapping back with an expected response.

"I would be furious at whoever it was!"

"Precisely and you have only spent a few years with me, I'm not saying it's right to feel that way. It wasn't." Obi-Wan hung his head in shame as the ill thoughts of Anakin filled his head again. _Here and now_.

"If anyone deserved my wrath it was Qui-Gon. He did not handle that situation well to say the least, but at the time I still looked up to him as a mentor so my perception was clouded," Obi-Wan continued, determined to get the rest of the explanation out before his temper flared again over the memory of Qui-Gon Jinn.

"I never thought of it like from a padawan point of view, Qui-Gon didn't tell you what he was going to do before then?" Anakin seemed to be seeing the entire conversation in a whole new light now.

As Obi-Wan shook his head in denial Anakin scooted closer to lean against the elder Jedi again, Obi-Wan was thankful Anakin was being understanding and seeing the affair from his point of view. He wouldn't be able to forgive himself if the relationship with his padawan was ruined because of some stupid rash feelings he had years ago which should never have been directed at the boy anyway.

"I'm truly sorry for feeling that way towards you, Padawan. I certainly didn't mean what I thought and believe me when I tell you this. You coming into my life has been a blessing I certainly don't deserve." Obi-Wan beamed down at his padawan, feeling extremely grateful that he had been thrust into his life. It had given him a purpose, a bond he never knew he was missing.

Anakin grinned back at him picking up on the projected thoughts with ease, it seemed things were right in the galaxy once again. The Kenobi/Skywalker team were back where they belonged, as brothers.

"I like being with you too," Anakin replied smirking, it was like they had their own little language.

Their joyous moment was harshly interrupted by none other than Dooku's pet witch, the force field sizzled out of existence allowing the accompanying guards to enter the cell and haul Obi-Wan to his feet.

"Where are you taking him?" Anakin exclaimed, only staying put after a warning look from Obi-Wan was directed at him.

"To see Dooku of course." Ventress smiled sweetly back before leading the way out of the cell.

Obi-Wan cast one more glance back to Anakin, conveying for him to be calm and that he would be alright. Well he hoped so anyway, one could never really be certain when it came to Dooku…

* * *

 **A/N - I'm getting pretty bogged down with uni work at the moment so I'm not sure when the next update will be, as always I will endeavour for it to be up as soon as possible!**

 **Until next time...**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N - First up I apologise for being absent! I have really struggled to get more of this story out this week but here it is eventually :) thankyou for all of the feedback I'm glad to know you guys are enjoying reading it as much as I am enjoying writing it! So now with this chapter I wanted to focus more on Obi-Wan and Dooku once again, I have some big plans for the next few chapters and I'm sure some of you may guess what direction I am taking this in next.**

 **Anyways that's enough from me Enjoy!**

* * *

Obi-Wan was marched along an exceedingly bland and empty corridor of the ship they were travelling on, the witch that had come to collect him strode confidently out in front of the envoy, glaring back at him as she noticed the attention.

"What are you looking at, Jedi?" She spat, spinning round fully and menacingly moving to be extremely close to Obi-Wan's face.

"You." Obi-Wan smirked, mocking grin sprawled over his face.

The witch's gaze narrowed severely, rage rising. Obi-Wan had not been prepared for the strike when it hit, one moment he had been staring down the dark force user, the next he was sprawled on the floor having being knocked over from the force of the strike. The witch had punched him in the face!

Obi-Wan felt a bruise already forming and worked his jaw wincing slightly at the pain the movement elicited. The women did pack quite a punch he had to give her that.

"Jedi scum…" She murmured with disgust before nodding to the guards who dragged Obi-Wan back to his feet and shoved him back in the direction they had been previously heading.

"So uncivilised…" Obi-Wan muttered under his breath before a blaster crashed into his shoulder and he was reminded to shut it and concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other.

Eventually the convoy came across their destination and Obi-Wan was once again shoved inside, he stumbled forward to the center of the room and turned on the spot to face the fuming witch. _What had he ever done to her?_

The guards unlocked the manacles that held his wrist's in place, as the faint idea of trying something filtered through his head it was immediately quashed as the witch surged closer, drew her light saber and held it perilously close to his throat.

"Don't get any ideas, Kenobi…" Ventress spat.

"Wouldn't dream of it, my dear," Obi-Wan replied, face widening into a smirk.

The witch responded by pressing the saber slightly against his skin, sizzling a slight mark across his jugular. Obi-Wan hissed in agony as the crimson blade descended on his skin for a split second, his attempts at backing away were thwarted by the very solid bodies of the guards behind him.

The light saber was mercifully moved slightly away from his neck and Ventress indicated to the men who in turn took one of Obi-Wan's wrists each and clamped them above his head to some suspending manacles. The biting metal dug into his wrists painfully as they were intentionally clamped too tight… Ventress grinned as Obi-Wan winced from the misery and ran a clawed nail down his cheek.

The touch sent shivers up Obi-Wan's spine, this witch was creeping him out. When she heard his thoughts she only responded by throwing her head back whilst cackling manically. Obi-Wan's attempts to turn away from the touch were once again thwarted by the chains suspending him from the ceiling, they didn't leave much room for manoeuvre at all.

"I'll see you soon, Kenobi," she purred before sauntering back towards the door way, following the retreating guards.

"I look forward to it…" Obi-Wan murmured sarcastically.

Ventress glanced back at the strung up Knight and grinned, she seemed to enjoy his sarcasm. Without another warning her hand flicked up and the chain's holding Obi-Wan's arms were yanked upwards and locked in place, he yelped as the jolt caused his arms to stretch. His feet were now barely touching the floor, and that was on tip-toes. It was evident his discomfort brought the dark force user immense joy as she grinned one more time before leaving him all alone in the dank room.

"Blast it…" Obi-Wan muttered to himself, wincing again as he attempted to shift his weight so as to not strain his arms so much.

He then took in his new surroundings properly, the darkened cell was rather small in size. Glancing round at the implements adorning the walls he gulped, this room was evidently used for interrogation… Abolishing any anxiousness he turned his attention to the manacles trapping his wrists and grimly could find no weakness in their hold. He was trapped here for the mean time so it seemed.

Before Obi-Wan's thoughts could wander anymore the cell gained a new occupant, Dooku had just sauntered in. He stopped just over the threshold of the room, sneering at the trapped form of the Jedi, evidently enjoying seeing Obi-Wan at his mercy.

"Still afraid of me I see?" Obi-Wan leered whilst indicating to the manacles that now held his wrists and therefore his entire body suspended in the center of the cell.

"Oh I wouldn't say that. Let's just say its better for both of us if you are contained," Dooku drawled dangerously whilst starting to head over to the captive form of the Jedi Knight.

Obi-Wan snorted at that, not believing for a second that it was better for the both of them, just the Count. He winced slightly and changed position as the strain in his arms started to cause discomfort to the seared saber wound that had been inflicted recently by the very dark sider pacing in front of him. He knew being held in this position for a lengthly amount of time was not going to be comfortable at all, the longer he was left dangling the larger the ache and strain on his shoulder and arm muscles. After a longer period of silence Obi-Wan was starting to become impatient, the Count had obviously brought him here for a reason, but didn't seem too keen on sharing the reason with Obi-Wan.

"What am I doing here?" The young Knight spat at the striding form of Count Dooku.

"It seems Qui-Gon did fail to instil the lesson of patience after all." Dooku smirked, reaching Obi-Wan's face narrowing his eyes in concentration.

Obi-Wan winced as the blow hit home, he had to admit he struggled with patience around the ex-Jedi. The man proved time and time again just how to strike at his weakness's and had done so mercilessly. He could feel the Count reach out with his mind to study the inner thoughts racing through his own mind, with the force suppressant still coursing through Obi-Wan's body any mental defences he had were severely weakened. That did not mean he would not be going down without a fight however.

"Ah, is that anger I sense…" Dooku drawled, grinning as he broke through the feeble defences in his prisoner's mind.

"Stop it," Obi-Wan ground out, determination covering his features to keep the evil being out of the inner most workings of his head.

"Stop what?" The Count queried feigning innocence, face contorted into mock confusion.

"I can feel you crawling around in my head!" Obi-Wan spat at his captor, forcibly shoving Dooku out of his mind. Which only elicited a dangerous chuckle from the other occupant in the cell.

Obi-Wan closed his eyes and strove to abolish his feelings, taking a deep breath he banished any hateful emotions out of his mind. They certainly wouldn't do him any favours. He opened his eyes again to witness Dooku start to stroll round his captive form, forcing Obi-Wan to crane his neck to keep the Count in sight. The position was really starting to transform from uncomfortable to painful now as his muscles started to cramp and shooting agony traversed up his trembling limbs.

"It's not so surprising you know," Dooku began again as he continued to circle the trapped form of Obi-Wan.

"What?"

"The way you feel about your dear old master, he certainly put you through the ringer!" Dooku grinned deviously as he once again went straight for the killing blow, identifying all of Obi-Wan's current swirling emotions and cruelly surfacing them in one fell swoop.

"I have nothing but respect for Qui-Gon and his teachings." Obi-Wan was not in the mood for games, he brushed the attack aside and stared straight ahead.

"Haha, my young friend. You and I both know that's not quite true." Dooku raised his eyebrows and chuckled at the Knight's attempts of indifference, obviously not fooled in the slightest.

"It's all in the past, I won't dwell upon it." Obi-Wan once again knocked the remark aside, determined not to discuss his misgivings over Qui-Gon with Dooku of all people.

"Ah but the past defines who we are today, it is not always prudent to never look back." Dooku halted in front of the Jedi to address him directly.

"Did you bring me here to discuss the merits of the past or have you actually got something to say?" Obi-Wan snapped, causing Dooku to raise his brows once again in amusement.

Dooku continued his circling striding, scrutinising the chained Jedi, causing the hairs of Obi-Wan's neck to stand on end. The tension in the shadowy room was palpable.

"I can feel your rage even now, it's only natural to feel these emotions towards Qui-Gon. He did fail you in many regards…" Dooku continued, intent on antagonising the young Knight once more.

"It is unbecoming of me to disrespect my Master, he was a great man." Obi-Wan once again deflected the attempt of bringing Qui-Gon back into the equation. With his current raging emotions over the man he was not sure if he could remain objective.

"I never said he wasn't, Obi-Wan. I'm pointing out your emotions towards his misguided actions are well founded, don't tell me you didn't feel the raw power you touched earlier in the duel?"

"I was unstable…" Obi-Wan stammered, unsure of himself once again.

"No, my friend, you only brushed against the true potential you've been held back from. With proper training and control you could finally reach your full level, enough to go toe to toe with a certain Sith Lord indeed," Dooku pressed on, intent on capitalising on Obi-Wan's questioning feelings.

"You really want me to believe you want the Sith Lord defeated to help the galaxy? I know what you want Dooku, you want it for yourself." Obi-Wan shook his head, angrily spitting out the remark. He didn't believe for one second that Dooku did not want everything for himself. He was a Sith after all.

"I assure you I do not, Obi-Wan, this Sith Lord will ruthlessly murder all in his way and enslave the galaxy. That is not a galaxy I want to live in, I realised the Jedi had no hope of stopping the upcoming purge, so I took matters into my own hands…" The Count recounted his motives, meeting Obi-Wan's gaze as he delivered his speech.

"You truly are mad…" Obi-Wan murmured, and was rewarded with a scowl from Dooku.

The Count seemed to be deep in thought for the next minute, the eerie silence in the room was enough to have Obi-Wan on edge, waiting for whoever would break the silence first. Dooku stopped pacing and came to a stop in front of Obi-Wan, eyes glinting with malice.

"I hope this doesn't hurt too much…" Dooku murmured whilst fingering the light saber scorch on Obi-Wan's raised arm, eliciting a tiny gasp of pain from the Jedi.

"Oh only as much as yours I imagine," Obi-Wan replied a gleeful twinkle in his gaze.

Dooku's eyes narrowed before continuing to circle the captive form of his prisoner.

"I suppose you don't know the reason I left the Jedi order?" The elder man enquired, raising his brows in a questioning way.

At Obi-Wan's curious glance and shake of his head Dooku continued.

"I imagine if you asked Master Yoda or any of the other council members they would tell you I was an extremist, corrupting the Jedi order's ways," Dooku drawled, scowling as he mentioned Master Yoda and the Jedi.

"Well they'd be right," Obi-Wan snapped.

"Tssk. Don't tell me you are as naive as the rest of those relics?" Dooku tutted spinning round to spit the retort into Obi-Wan's ear.

"You're delusional, Dooku, I don't know how else to tell you." Obi-Wan craned his neck to face the looming figure of Dooku, noses just a hairs width away and uttered the insult.

Dooku's composure changed dramatically to unchecked rage, he lifted his hand and backhanded Obi-Wan with such ferocity and pace that Obi-Wan hadn't prepared himself for the blow. His head snapped back as the Count's forceful strike found his face, he felt his lip split and tasted warm blood trickle down his chin. The fire burning in Dooku's eyes receded slightly as he took a deep breath and continued his pacing around the room.

"The Jedi order has lost it's way, the council are poisoning the minds of the younger generation," Dooku continued, acting as if has he had never been interrupted in the first place.

"Hmmmphh." Obi-Wan huffed, wincing slightly as his split lip caused him some discomfort.

"We serve one purpose, not the republic or it's corrupt senators. Not spoilt diplomats with more money than sense. No we serve the force, everyone else seems to have forgotten that fact," The ex-Jedi continued, ignoring Obi-Wan's dismissal.

"We do serve the force…" Obi-Wan defended before being interrupted once again.

"No, my young friend, not anymore, your service is an illusion. Parroted at you ever since you were old enough to understand, it's all a lie Obi-Wan," Dooku implored, staring Obi-Wan straight in the eye as he delivered the shocking remark.

Obi-Wan shook his head in disbelief, did Dooku really think he was swaying his mind? He could see it more clearly now than ever, this man was completely and utterly mad. Dooku's eyes narrowed into slits as he picked up on the thoughts, he started to move again and continued.

"Do you really believe it should be down to 12 Jedi to decide what is and what is not?" He questioned the Knight.

"When there are people like you who use the dark side then yes, younger Jedi should be shielded from it's allure," Obi-Wan confidently proclaimed, believing in the methods of the council.

"The force should be studied from all aspects to truly harness it's full potential, light and dark," Dooku countered, going against every Jedi's teachings.

"No, the dark side only leads to pain and suffering. No true Jedi would stray from the light," Obi-Wan countered, delivering an almost invisible blow, questioning the man's claims of being a true Jedi.

"One cannot exist without the other, my young friend. Every light has a shadow…" Dooku countered, satisfied as Obi-Wan had no retort for that argument.

"I took it upon myself to study the force as a whole, not the one-sided ageing view of the Jedi. If we are ever to truly be rid of this Sith Lord then both sides of the force must be harnessed," Dooku continued, imploring the young Jedi Knight to see reason.

"You're wrong." Obi-Wan in turn shook his head in denial.

"Am I? Then why does it have you worried so much. I can feel your heart rate rising Kenobi," The ex-Jedi countered, playing on Obi-Wan's lowering levels of conviction over the matter.

"With someone as powerful as that there is only one true way to save the galaxy, the Jedi order would not listen the last time I implored them to. Look what happened then." Dooku deployed a dirty tactic, bringing Qui-Gon back into things.

Obi-Wan winced as the mental image of Qui-Gon dying was projected into his head, Dooku was using his own memories against him now! He certainly did not need another reliving of that particular moment in his life, or the emotions it invoked.

"Stop it!" Obi-Wan lividly yelled, sick of Dooku's mind games.

The Count raised an eyebrow over the outburst before shrugging the affair off.

"You know he got it wrong all those years ago…"

"Got what wrong, Dooku?" Obi-Wan impatiently snapped, interrupting the Count mid-sentence.

Dooku raised his brows in amusement before doing as he was bid and continuing.

"When you were a youngling, before Qui-Gon took you as an apprentice, other Jedi thought your anger made you weak."

Obi-Wan winced at the memory, he had indeed had quite a nasty temper. Especially when it came to his rivalry with initiate Bruck Chun. There were many times when he had been caught fighting with the boy, and even in official fights he had let his emotions overcome him and lost control.

"All of them including Qui-Gon dismissed your abilities because of it. It beggars belief that they couldn't see the potential within you. You were never born to be a farmer, Obi-Wan," Dooku enticed, dismissing all of the Jedi master's who had passed over the opportunity to train him.

"There is honour in serving the agricorps," Obi-Wan murmured, not quite believing his remark himself.

"Is that what you told yourself? When the Jedi order abandoned you and jeopardised your future? Don't tell me the decision did not make you furious!" Dooku chuckled dangerously before snarling the rest of the sentence into his captive's face, sure that he was finally getting through to Obi-Wan.

"I was not fit to be a Jedi, I was lucky Qui-Gon saw beyond my temper," Obi-Wan replied levelly, not breaking eye contact with Dooku as he met the man's beliefs with a crushing blow.

"Qui-Gon was just as short-sighted then as his Jedi fellows, he should have seen your qualities as a strength. Instead he strove to hinder your true potential, you could be magnificent if you just allowed yourself to be one with the whole force," Dooku excitedly claimed, eyes twinkling with the prospect.

"Like yourself you mean?" Obi-Wan mockingly sniggered.

Dooku shook his head slowly smiling sadly, every time he thought he was getting through to the young Knight, he threw up barriers to block his way.

"Do you want to know the real reason you were sent away, my boy?" He queried, glancing over at Obi-Wan as he spoke.

"No, but I'm sure you're going to enlighten me," Obi-Wan muttered dryly, shifting and wincing as the agony in his limbs got too much.

"They feared you Obi-Wan, they were afraid of the power you could one day harness…" Dooku attempted to break through again, intent on the young Jedi seeing his potential.

"You're wrong, Jedi do not fear…" Obi-Wan spoke softly, troubled by Dooku's words. Why wasn't he as sure anymore?

"Tut tut, they do, my young friend. Tell me if not fear then what are there feelings towards the dark side of the force?" Dooku dismissed the young Jedi's claims, his conviction outweighing Obi-Wan's.

"They are only cautious, they would never stop the training of a student over such misgivings." Obi-Wan shook his head slowly when he replied, eyes downcast not willing to meet Dooku's smirking features.

"Ah but they have already tried again haven't they? The boy Skywalker."

Obi-Wan's gaze shot up at that, caught out by his own padawan. Dooku did speak some truth, it was never completely clear to him the inner decision of the council. However he suspected it was something involving the boy's future that Master Yoda had seen.

"They only thought him to be too old, Master Yoda claims his future is clouded…" Obi-Wan eventually replied, careful not to project his real conviction over the matter.

Dooku's eyes narrowed and he appeared to be in deep concentration once more, his eyes were swimming with triumph as he seemed to find what he was looking for. Obi-Wan was sick of being read like an open book.

"He's already acted out hasn't he?" Dooku grinned as he projected the memory of Anakin nearly killing Skepaf earlier that day.

"Stop it, Dooku, get out of my head!" Obi-Wan screamed as he scrunched his eyes shut desperately trying to pry the Count's tendrils from his mind.

"Oh you mustn't blame the boy, can you truly say you would not have done the same thing if you were in his shoes? It's only natural…" Dooku continued, intent on capitalising on his new found information.

"It's not, Jedi must maintain control at all times," Obi-Wan ground out of gritted teeth, still battling to remove Dooku from his mind but failing miserably, emotions over his own shameful actions from the duel playing out in his mind.

"Is that shame I can sense? Tsk boy, there is no shame in fulfilling one's destiny." Dooku was a master at picking up on any of his insecurities, and once again pounced on the most prominent.

"It is not my destiny to be like you," Obi-Wan spat, eyes springing open full of malice and disgust.

"Are you so sure? Are you arrogant enough to believe you know all the force's ways?" Dooku snarled, gripping Obi-Wan's chin in one hand.

"I won't let you get into my head, Dooku," Obi-Wan declared dangerously quietly, intent on not letting the mind games work, attempting to tug his face from the Count's firm grip.

"Think about it Obi-Wan, for someone so engrossed in the light you certainly have had a fair amount of darkness littering your years," Dooku continued, tightening his grip on his captive's jaw under the struggles.

Dooku and Obi-Wan stood in a stale mate, gaze's locked, emotions perilously tainting the force around the pair. Obi-Wan was seething and was once again struggling to keep his racing heart beat under control. The Count chuckled once more before releasing his captive's chin and stepping a few paces back.

"I'm not listening to this anymore…" Obi-Wan snarled at his captor, defiance dancing in his eyes.

"You have little choice, my friend," Dooku taunted dangerously gesturing at the young Jedi's predicament.

"Your master's previous apprentice fell to the dark side, Qui-Gon almost followed right after him after witnessing Jedi Master Tahl's death. Your own apprentice has already had his fair share of brushes with the dark and you yourself have certainly dabbled with the dark forces, don't deny it I've seen it in your memories," Dooku warned as Obi-Wan went to abolish the claims.

"He never fell, to experience darkness and overcome it is not the same as falling." Obi-Wan jumped to the defence, not willing to let that remark pass.

"No it's not, but you have _touched_ darkness and acted upon it more than once, my young friend. It swirls around you and your padawan, why can't you see the force is showing you your destiny?" Dooku implored, digging deep within Obi-Wan's own memories once more.

"That's absurd," Obi-Wan expressed with disgust over the prospect.

"Is it really? Think on what I've said Obi-Wan. You know deep in your being my words make sense," Dooku finished before retreating to the cell's exit.

"No, this little game your playing won't work, Dooku!" Obi-Wan yelled out, determined to get the last word in.

"Oh trust me, Obi-Wan, this is no game, the galaxy is at a crossroads." Dooku turned and delivered the line gravely, gaze filled with seriousness once again.

"I won't turn, I promise you," Obi-Wan pronounced, firm in his convictions.

"My young friend, you must see you're already half way there." Dooku smiled and tilted his head, amused at the Jedi's defiance.

Obi-Wan glanced away from the smirking form of the count, not trusting himself to answer the latest accusation. Suddenly the image of Anakin Skywalker was projected into his mind and he snapped his head upwards to the culprit, Dooku.

"I do hope you reconsider…" The ex-Jedi drawled, threat conveyed across loud and clear.

Obi-Wan glared daggers at the monster, how dare he threaten _his_ padawan?

"I will leave you in the very capable hands of my associate. Think on what I've said, Obi-Wan, I implore you to see reason."

And with that their conversation was at an end, Dooku left the cell with a swirl of his cape leaving Obi-Wan reeling, emotions peaking and worst of all confusion setting in. Before he was able to dissect any of his feelings over the conversation Ventress sauntered into the cell, a wide manic grin covering her features making Obi-Wan's skin crawl. The ominous pit in his stomach worsened as the witch approached his position, he did not need access to the force to ascertain her intent. This would be a far from enjoyable experience…

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 **A/N - I should be back to my usual schedule now so I will be aiming to write the next segment ASAP!**

 **until next time...**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N - This chapter is a little longer than usual as quite frankly there was a lot I wanted to fit in before the ending! I hope you enjoy the direction it takes things in I absolutely adored writing it, pushing characters to their emotional and physical limits always ensures good material to write with :)**

 **Anyway enough from me enjoy the chapter and thank you for continued support!**

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Ventress witnessed her Master at work from the observational room for the cell, Count Dooku had been in the room with Kenobi for some time now intent on swaying the young Knight's mind to their cause. She shook her head in disgust, why could her Master not see what she could? Kenobi was weak, worse he was so ingrained in the light it was blinding. Just being this close to the man made her _sick_. Of course Dooku had completely waved aside her opinion and continued with his plans, that line of thinking alone made Ventress' anger flare. Her master thought _this_ Jedi was superior to her? Maybe Kenobi was right about something Dooku seemed delusional. Ventress abolished the straying thought before it could develop into something else, if her Master picked up on those thoughts it would not end well for her. _I must find another way to show him how weak Kenobi is…_

Ventress wanted to prove to her Master that she could be trusted, he didn't need Kenobi she would be far superior, she _was_ far superior. Her gaze fell on the Jedi's form as Dooku seemed to be wrapping up his lecture, probing with her mind Ventress surprisingly did find conflicted emotions there and an abundance of hate and rage, of course the Jedi was feebly attempting to hide the feelings but failing miserably. She too had picked up the Jedi's rage increase around her, she had of course maimed his precious apprentice, was this her Master's plan? Use Kenobi's natural anger towards Ventress as a pushing point? Perhaps her Master was seeing something else here she could not, Ventress shook her head at the statement it did not concern her. She had one purpose and one purpose alone, break Kenobi and show Dooku that she was the rightful apprentice.

She started towards the door as her Master's thoughts drifted to her, it seemed it was time for a different take to push the Knight over the edge. They met in the corridor briefly as he strolled out of the cell, confident that he had at least succeeded in having Kenobi on edge and more susceptible to her methods.

"Focus on Jinn, we can use the memories to our advantage."

Ventress had too identified Kenobi's weak point she would do what she did best, strike mercilessly at the shattering point until he cracked. From what she could feel Kenobi was already so conflicted it shouldn't take long, Ventress would finally show her Master what she was capable of, he was trusting her with this and she would not fail, even if the results were not as Dooku wanted now he would come to see she had done him a favour. Weeding out the weakness from his views, there was no way Kenobi deserved to be his apprentice, her Master deserved better. He deserved _her._

"Yes, Master."

Ventress' eyes glistened over the upcoming prospect, gaze finding Kenobi as she strode forward. She only stopped once more for a second as Dooku relayed one last message, one last command before striding off into the distance.

"Ventress, do not fail me."

* * *

Obi-Wan couldn't help but feel a shiver traverse his spine as the predatory dark force user sauntered into his cell before sealing them both in the prison with a flick of her wrist, together, _alone_. A smirk tugged at the corners of her faintly quivering lips, eyes gleaming with amusement and something else he was struggling to identify, _hatred? Desire?_

He battled his ever increasing heart rate, determined to not let this witch know of his anxiety, or the fact that his nerves had already been shot to pieces by his encounter with Dooku. From the knowing glance directed his way accompanied by a gleaming glint of his captor's eyes, Obi-Wan knew she had already sensed his troubled state.

The truth was he hadn't had a chance to sort through his turbulent emotions invoked by Dooku, dangerously his mental and emotional state was far from serene and fitting of a Jedi Knight. Force help him if Ventress played on any of his insecurities now, he honestly didn't know how much longer he could last without the aid of the force. It had been so long now since he had been able to bathe in its currents, far too long since he had felt at peace and most importantly been centered. Obi-Wan knew how perilous his current state of mind was, Dooku seemed intent on not giving him the time or access to the force to right himself once more.

He followed her movements around the interrogation room, gulping slightly as she fingered one or two instruments with a wide grin on her face. They looked very painful and extremely deadly. She obviously heard his stray thoughts as she whipped her head around to smirk at him, eyes glinting with pleasure, scalpel still tightly held in her grip. With a burst of manic laughter she dropped the instrument and was by his side quicker than he could blink, eyes widening as she stopped just a hairs width from his face.

He had to admit, Ventress unnerved him. She was so unpredictable, so volatile and Obi-Wan was no fool, he knew she was as deadly and cunning as Dooku. Maybe more so. The dark witch seemed to contemplate something for a moment before deliberately trailing a clawed finger down his captured limbs, sending shivers to race through his whole body.

Her grin only widened as she sensed his discomfort, she moved from his trapped limbs overhead to his chest, fingers dancing over areas he'd rather not share with the enemy. He couldn't help it the touch made him squirm slightly, annoyed at himself for being disturbed by Ventress' prying he changed tact and fell back on the one thing that he could always rely on. Sarcasm.

"Are you here to _seduce_ me then?" His voice was surprisingly steadier than he could have anticipated, his brows arched as she continued her travels down his chest to more private areas.

She stopped her wandering hands just above his waistline, brow raised triumphantly as she observed Obi-Wan's breath still in anticipation. In the next instant his chin was roughly in her grip, she held him in place as she leaned forward seductively and whispered in his ear.

"No no, my dear, something much better than that."

Ventress pulled away holding Obi-Wan's startled gaze for a full 10 count before beaming once more and continuing her circling pacing around his captive form.

 _Torture._ Before the thought had fully registered in his own mind Ventress had already picked up on his ailing thoughts, his mind a complete open book to her, just as it had been for Dooku.

"You're a perceptive one, even when cut off from the force…" She drawled whilst continuing to pace, moving out of Obi-Wan's sight forcing him to crane his neck to the side to catch a glimpse of her.

"Does Dooku expect you to torture me to darkness?" He scoffed back amused by the idea.

Abruptly a great pressure was weighing down on his shoulders, straining them painfully as his arms were stretched downwards, wrists chafing terribly in the manacles. Obi-Wan grunted as Ventress grabbed a hand hold of his hair and yanked his head back agonisingly far, unnaturally so. He forced his eyes open after the pain had subsided to a more moderate level and glared at the witch, who in turn only smiled back sweetly and began to run a clawed talon down his cheek digging in slightly and drawing blood. He gasped as the trickle made its way down his inverted face, strain on his shoulders becoming excruciating as more pressure was added. If she didn't stop soon he could feel his shoulders would pop right out of their sockets. The angle his arms were bent at did no favours for his recent saber wound either, the seared skin cracked painfully as pressure was added.

"Oh no, Obi-Wan, pain is such a wonderful thing you should _embrace_ it." She grinned wickedly whilst drawing her finger to her lips to lick away the blood on them, _his blood._

"So first a raving lunatic, now a sadist. Wonderful," He revoltingly retorted painfully through gritted teeth, resolving not to attempt to squirm away from the witch's hold.

Just as abruptly as it had started it stopped, Ventress released her grip and pressure on his abused body allowing Obi-Wan to sag forwards relishing in the release of pressure on his limbs. He grimaced as he found his feet once more whilst stretching his muscles back into working order, relieved that the burning in his shoulders was now only reduced to a dull ache. He cautiously catalogued Ventress' movements as the dark user circled predatorily, a hungry gleam glittering her gaze.

"You like to hide behind humour and sarcasm, I see through your _pathetic_ armour, Kenobi. I _see_ you." She turned to face him and met his gaze, almost whispering the last remark.

That was when he knew, he knew from her gaze she really could, it unnerved him more than any physical pain would have. Like he had thought just moments earlier, _an open book._ He shuddered slightly as he once again felt her darkness brush against his psyche.

"You think with torture there is just one route, physical pain? It is the mind which is the place to strike, where the deepest fears and beliefs reside." Ventress continued her prowling, preparing to strike at any moment. Obi-Wan knew this was what made this mad women so dangerous, the one hazardous quality which set her apart from Dooku. She was _unpredictable._

"I will not turn."

She grabbed his chin, prying into his mind without any further warning. Her assault was ruthless and merciless, not stopping until she found everything she had come searching for. Plundering precious memories, painfully ripping down feeble defences that Obi-Wan had hurriedly tried to erect to keep her out. He scrunched up his eyes in absolute misery and gasped as the horrific attack on his mind continued, felt her claws dig into his chin enough to draw blood. Mercifully he felt the dark tendrils retreating, taking no care when doing so either leaving Obi-Wan rasping and reeling.

"He was right you know. You are already half way there."

He kept his eyes shut tight as the thumping agony in his head continued, thankfully subsiding in its thrashing the longer time passed, vaguely taking in what she had just said but not having the energy to rebuke the claim. Ventress released his chin and stalked off to somewhere behind him, Obi-Wan didn't have the focus to spare to track her movements any longer. All of his efforts and focus were spent on rebuilding his mental defences, desperately willing the pounding to cease after the witch's ruthless mind probe.

"I feel your anger towards him, I see it in your memories."

He scoffed at that, of course he felt anger at Dooku. He could forgive and forget the damage dealt to him given access to the force and time, but what had been done to Anakin? Obi-Wan struggled to see a point where he could forgive that.

"Well what do you expect, he's had me kidnapped, almost killed and maimed my padawan all to get to me," He hotly retorted, the agony in his head finally at a manageable enough level to open his eyes and search for his captor.

"Not Dooku, Kenobi. No there is another within your thoughts you loathe even more."

He gulped as he too identified who she spoke of, _Qui-Gon._ There was no hiding it, even to himself. His emotions over his master at this present point were dangerously close to hatred, deep down he knew that couldn't be right yet all of the memories he had tried to bury resurfaced once again causing a sharp intake of breath.

Ventress continued without even breaking her stride, smug grin adorning her face. "Your master, what was his name… Oh yes Qui-Gon!"

"Stay out of my head, witch!" He yelled out as the dark tendrils brushed against his mental defences once more, seeking entry to Obi-Wan's inner most thoughts.

She surged forward from somewhere to his right, grabbing his jaw to twist his view to hers. She was breathing heavily, pupils dilated, presence reeking of joy. Ventress leaned in to whisper predatorily in his ear, hot breath tickled his hair as she spoke.

"You are _mine,_ Kenobi… Every part of you is _mine…"_

The tone of her promise actually made him physically tremble, breathing coming in short sharp breaths. This women was mad yes, and very very dangerous…

"And I will _break_ you…" She whispered the promise, relishing in the sound of Obi-Wan's heart actually skip a beat as she emphasised the spine-tingling word _'break'._

Obi-Wan gulped as she pulled away tilting her head slightly, smug smirk spreading over her face in the victory of rattling the Jedi Knight. His jaw was released eventually and Obi-Wan turned his gaze back frontwards, looking anywhere she wasn't until he could get his frazzled nerves under control once again.

He was so worked up over their last exchange that he momentarily lost focus on his enemies movements, everything was suddenly so silent that he was sure if a pin dropped he would hear it. Before Obi-Wan could crane his neck to ascertain Ventress' location a thick dark cloth stole his vision. He tried to shrug the offending item from his eyes valiantly, however the struggle was in the end in vain as the blindfold was securely tied behind his head but not before a swift kick to the back of his legs had his knees buckle. Once again putting unwanted strain on his already abused shoulder muscles.

"What are you doing?" He hissed through gritted teeth, readjusting his position to ease the strain.

"You are without the force and therefore cannot sense my intentions, and now I have stolen your sight." He strained his hearing as the presence behind him left, moving away from his body.

Then there was no more sound, only his own anxious breathing, she was right about thing. Without access to the force and with this blindfold effectively cutting out any slither of light, he was essentially blind to the world. It was terrifying.

"Some say the loss of a sense enhances all the others, I believe we should put that to the test."

Before Obi-Wan could calculate his enemy's position based on her voice, a searing pain ripped through his thigh causing him to cry out in anguish. As quickly as the blade had been there, it disappeared, leaving only misery in its wake and actually causing Obi-Wan to lean painfully to one side. Not trusting his injured limb to brunt his weight without more agony. He breathed angrily, caught completely unprepared by the coward's attack.

"It must be so _frustrating_."

Another slash this time his chest, the knife dug deeper this time immediately followed by his life essence flowing from the wound. The unexpected position had him cry out once more, louder than before which only seemed to make Ventress' cackle louder.

"Not knowing _where_ …"

Again, a vicious slice to his captured arm, not as deep as the chest wound but deep enough to cause a grunt. The wound flared once more as he tried to shift position slightly to alleviate the agonising throbbing radiating from his leg. It was true it seemed, taking away one sense certainly enhanced the others.

"Or _when_ …"

This time a downward dissection from collar to navel, delivered as fast as lightening, causing Obi-Wan to gasp out and instinctually try to curl inwards. The chains of course held him achingly upright.

"I will _strike_."

The hilt of the knife came crashing into his face with such force his head cracked to the side, blood spurting everywhere as the bones in his nose were once again crushed. He groaned and lost his footing and resided to dangling until a very painful reminder from his limbs informed him this was not an acceptable position to remain in.

He listened out for his captor, trying desperately to prepare himself for any further strikes. The whoosh of air was the only thing he heard before a fist came careering into his ribs, stealing the air from his lungs and leaving him gasping, desperate to double over. Of course the action of trying to curl in on himself was halted by his current position, hissing he righted himself as the slit and cracking saber wound adorning his arm made themselves known once more.

Out of know where the witch was back, gripping his hair and yanking her captors head to the side until his neck was exposed. A needle was unceremoniously thrust into the skin and the plunger pressed, Obi-Wan gasped as he felt the offending serum start to circulate his system. It didn't feel like a force suppressant, _no,_ this was starting to make him feel sluggish.

"What… What did you just give me?" He slurred, staggering slightly in place.

"A little concoction of my own making, it enhances pain and has some very potent hallucinogenic effects," Ventress answered, discarding the empty needle.

As she started to feel him slip under the drug's effects Ventress aimed another blow at his head, head on. The force of the shot snapped Obi-Wan's head back to dangle between his upright arms, crying out as the pain radiated through his skull. Moaning as once again the other injuries caused him to try and stumble back to his wobbly feet.

"Do you want me to show you some of my master's memories of Qui-Gon?"

Without waiting for a reply Ventress grabbed a handful of hair and wrenched his head to meet hers, plunging in to his ailing mind breaking down any feeble defences he had managed to rebuild. She proceeded to project her own memories into his mind, vividly recreated moments played out before Obi-Wan's eyes, very unwelcome ones at that.

The memories flashed in front of Obi-Wan's eyes at quite a speed, he caught glimpses of Qui-Gon and Dooku watching him compete in a tournament, Qui-Gon not as impressed as Dooku saying Obi-Wan would never make it to knighthood at this rate, _worthless_. Private conversations over dinner where Qui-Gon stated that Obi-Wan was unbalanced and he was worried he might fall like Xanatos had done.

Obi-Wan gasped as the witch let go, mind reeling, all of his rage towards Qui-Gon tripling. _How dare he act so innocent?!_

"Your anger is not unfounded, Kenobi, he obviously saw you as a worthless boy…"

"Shut up!" He venomously spat at the witch, mind whirring gravely.

Another strike, this time an open palmed back hand to his face causing him to draw blood as his teeth smashed against his gums. Obi-Wan spat out the revolting mess to one side, moaning as the agony seemed to only worsen. _The drugs._

"I've seen your memories, he cast you aside time and time again… He _failed_ you, Obi-Wan." She continued, running the knife edge down his captured arms creating a slight red line and causing Obi-Wan to wince.

"No, no he didn't. He just…" He muttered, dejected and close to defeat.

Obi-Wan found he could no longer defend Qui-Gon's actions, the drug coursing through his system throwing up all the memories of Qui-Gon's betrayals to the fore front of his mind.

"That's it, Kenobi, embrace it!" The mad witch shrieked with glee.

Obi-Wan shook his head, willing the unwanted unbecoming emotions away. As much as he tried he could not shake the emotions or feelings, _Qui-Gon is responsible for this_. Worryingly Obi-Wan could feel his rage rising by the second, anger running rampant through his mind.

"Who are you?" He spat at the women that was the cause of all his misery.

"This is not about me, my dear, this is about _you_." She sweetly purred, knife edge tracing his jawline agonisingly slowly.

"You weren't trained by the Jedi yet…"

He was cut off brutally as the knife plunged into his shoulder eliciting a scream from his bloody lips, the vicious attack was completely unwarranted and not foreseen. Gritting his teeth against the agony and breathing deeply he just about managed to get the pain to a moderate level before the knife still in his flesh was twisted maliciously, causing a gut-wrenching cry to rip itself from his parched throat.

"I told you, this is about _you,_ my dear…" Ventress muttered into his ear, sadistically enjoying seeing the Jedi Knight at her mercy in such anguish.

The knife was ripped from his flesh with such force Obi-Wan found he could no longer deal with the agony, gasping he felt himself slip over the edge of consciousness. Ventress had given him the deciding shove into oblivion, hatred being the single emotion Obi-Wan could feel coursing through his veins as he fell into the deepest recess' of his mind.

* * *

Obi-Wan staggered forward, feet lazily trying to find purchase on the gravelly winding pathway, clutching his chest whilst doubling over. He could feel drugs racing through his blood, clouding his mind and throwing up vivid visions of the past. He could no longer lie to himself he was positively livid, and there was one man who had gained all of his wrath, his old master.

Rational thoughts ceased to exist as the man in question appeared in his sight line, standing tall and righteous as he always did. Qui-Gon Jinn was positioned in the center of the vast room, the central area was circular in shape and was the point where all paths met. The image made the hatred inside Obi-Wan swell, seething he straightened his posture and strode towards the man that had caused him so much pain.

' _He lied to you…'_

The voice inside his head only served to increase his pace, temper fuming as he stormed through the once serene room of a thousand fountains. Obi-Wan stopped a few meters from Qui-Gon's calm stance, hand twitching to reach for his saber hilt, hatred taking over his very being. Qui-Gon's face was devoid of all emotions, Obi-Wan thought he caught a flash of pain before it was expertly destroyed.

"Obi-Wan." The voice was steady, formal and holding no warmth that Obi-Wan had grown used to over the years. They were not friends in this meeting.

The wildlife in the area all seemed to take flight at once, sensing the turbulent emotions radiating from the two Jedi. The crashing of water faded to a distant echo, all of a sudden their surroundings were eerie. Obi-Wan could have sliced through the tension with a knife if he so pleased, or perhaps saber…

 _'He never believed in you…'_

The voice reminded him of Dooku's memories he had been subject to, his _master_ had thought he was worthless even then. Laughing behind his back, leading him on even then only to deliver the fateful blow in the council room…

"So it's all true then? You never expected me to make it to Knighthood!" Obi-Wan spat as he started to pace and circle his master's form.

"This is Dooku talking." Qui-Gon also started to circle his student cautiously, tone admonishing Obi-Wan's naivety just as he always used to.

"Did you ever believe in my abilities? Or was I just another of your pathetic life forms that you got bored with!"

Qui-Gon looked affronted at the accusation, shock flashing across his features before he wrestled them back into the perfect Jedi stoic mask. The action only caused Obi-Wan to be further enraged.

"Don't be stupid, you can't possibly be actually believing this nonsense". He continued to circle his padawan who was worryingly quickly losing control.

 _'He abandoned you…'_

Obi-Wan's brows shot up so far they were nearly lost under his hairline, incredulous bewilderment splayed across his face before he chuckled dangerously, void of mirth.

"You have the audacity to lecture me when I've seen the memories? Felt what you felt? How dare you?!"

Obi-Wan spat the remark with such rage and volume that it echoed in the eerily silent room, body swiveling to meet his master. His pace increasing as he shortened the gap between himself and Qui-Gon, hand gripping his clipped saber hilt so tightly his knuckles turned white. The motion was not lost on Qui-Gon who also stopped dead in his tracks and spun to face the threat head on.

"Padawan! You have to stop this, they're messing with your mind."

Obi-Wan halted eyes scrunching shut whilst vigorously shaking his head, this man had lost the right to call him _his_ padawan _._

"Don't! You have no right to call me that. _None."_ His head shot up to throw out the hurtful retort, gaze blazing with fire.

"Obi-Wan…"

"You can't tell me what to do anymore. I've seen what you did, what you said, don't deny it!" He all but yelled accusingly, stepping forwards slowly muscles shaking with rage.

"I… you know that's not the way it was Obi-Wan. They're twisting everything, Dooku is lying to you!" Qui-Gon desperately tried to break through Obi-Wan's hateful haze, unsuccessfully.

"Liar!"

The guttural scream tore itself from Obi-Wan's throat, empowered by every loathsome and bitter emotion coursing through his system. Silence reigned over the room, only broken by Obi-Wan's enraged breathing. Qui-Gon stilled, a resigned look covered his features as he absorbed the invisible blow.

 _'He always knew you would be dark…'_

"You were right about one thing, my dear _master,_ I have fallen like Xanatos." He growled the endearing title right back at the man he had lost all respect for.

"Your entire teaching line is in ruins!" Obi-Wan roared, crystal blue eyes lost, clouded by darkness.

Qui-Gon shook his head from side to side, unwilling to believe the horror he was witnessing. Obi-Wan was falling.

 _'He failed you…'_

Obi-Wan held out an open palm and called his saber hilt to him, reveling in the intimate curves of the weapon as his fingers closed round the familiar shapes. His thumb hovered over the activation button, temper fuming, breath coming in short wrathful bursts.

"I will not fight you, Obi-Wan."

"Then I will strike you down where you stand," He replied, voice flat and cold. All warm emotions he once held towards this man he once considered a _father_ ripped from his being.

Qui-Gon actually stumbled backwards at the last remark, tears glistening his eyes as the deadly conviction radiating from Obi-Wan slammed into him with full force.

"You told Dooku I was worthless. Let's see how worthless I am, _old_ _man_." Obi-Wan spat viciously before leaping forward to close the distance between the two Jedi, azure blade snapping out of his hilt mid-air.

"Obi-Wan!" Qui-Gon cried out astonished, heart-broken.

An emerald blade crashed against blue in a confetti of sparks, locking the unbalanced fighters as both exerted all the strength they could muster to hold the other at bay. Obi-Wan snarled and angled his blade to try and break through his master's defence, azure and emerald sparks scintillated off of the melded saber's as both men adjusted their angle and position.

Obi-Wan was the first to break off the hold, aggressively slashing at Qui-Gon's unprotected side with such speed the motion of his saber was a blur. Qui-Gon met each strike with precision, unwilling to strike out himself, this action alone only served to make Obi-Wan's rage and viciousness triple in number.

He cried out with all pent up emotion as his blue blade crashed into his master's, the force driving the assault enough to have both men's limbs shaking violently. Obi-Wan's blurred blade continued to swing from side to side forcing Qui-Gon to pivot and back away quickly to avoid the harrowing saber.

Their frenzied duel had the two Jedi dancing along one of the many paths leading away from the center, Obi-Wan distantly catalogued this was the path he and Qui-Gon had favoured all those years ago. _How fitting._

 _'He's running away again…'_

Obi-Wan growled as his master once again pulled back from engagement and retreated some more steps to avoid an arcing swing aimed at his neck region. Sweat dripped from both men soaking their singed tunics, the surroundings suddenly seeming very stuffy and humid.

 _Right slash, pivot to cut downwards on the left, flip over opponents head whilst striking out at the neck, rolling into a ball before arcing saber causing opponent to leap over the deadly sweep._

Master and apprentice continued their dance with alarming momentum, slicing plants and overhanging branches as their saber's locked, spat and broke apart again and again. Sparks flew off of the crashing weapons which landed on each of their clothes and hair, singeing and causing the smell of burning to overwhelm the area.

Eventually their futile deadly maneuverings lead them to the majestic waterfall, river cascading down the rock face to crash to the ground. Obi-Wan pushed Qui-Gon backwards with anew strength, snarling when saber's locked and throwing his full weight behind the shove which sent the Jedi Master stumbling backwards into the river.

Without missing a beat Obi-Wan sailed through the air towards his mentor swinging down only to be blocked at the last minute once again, he withdrew and landed with a roll swinging out at the back of his opponent's kneecaps which Qui-Gon side stepped. Icy river water flowed around them as both opponents found their footing and began circling one another, prowling like beasts.

Obi-Wan saw his opening and swung at his mentor's legs, water sizzling and steaming as the saber made contact with the surface. Qui-Gon was just as agile as ever, leaping over the swinging blue arc with ease, face drawn into hardened lines of concentration. He landed with an almighty splash which drenched Obi-Wan's entire body, wiping the moisture from his eyes he advanced towards the retreating form of Qui-Gon, saber thrumming ominously in his clenched hand.

He struck to the right, was halted by the green blade so swung back whilst spinning to crash his saber over head on Qui-Gon's left side. He grunted as at the last minute Qui-Gon's blade met his, his mentor's eyes wide as he registered the near hit. Obi-Wan was sick of his retreating tactics, he wouldn't make any aggressive moves _the coward._

Their saber's stayed locked as Obi-Wan strove to push Qui-Gon backwards, hoping the elder man would lose his footing on the rocky stream surface.

"You failed me, _master_."

Qui-Gon's facial expression didn't even flicker, he acted as though Obi-Wan hadn't even spoken. _More personal then…_

"Just like you failed Xanatos."

That got his attention, a stunning blow at his master's insecurities had his eyes snap to meet his. Hurtful emotions glittering just under the surface, one strike away from being unleashed and Obi-Wan knew just where to strike.

"Obi-Wan don't…" His master pleaded, _too late._

"And Tahl…"

Qui-Gon's gaze narrowed dangerously, hurtful emotions transforming into his own rage. He strained against Obi-Wan's saber with anew conviction, pressing down with his height advantage on his former padawan. Obi-Wan only smirked, he knew exactly where his own master's demons lay buried. This was where to strike Qui-Gon, the heart.

"You failed her… You couldn't even save the woman you loved…"

"Enough!" Qui-Gon bellowed and shoved Obi-Wan away from the saber lock with unchecked power and brutality.

Obi-Wan had been unprepared for the sheer force put behind the defence so staggered slightly when he landed, the freezing dregs of the river soaking his lower half. Before he could steady his posture Qui-Gon was sailing through the air towards him, saber raised. Obi-Wan brought his own blade up to block teeth gritted at the power behind the overhead strike, grinning at his ability to ruffle his mentor's feathers. _Finally a real fight._

Qui-Gon's eyes blazed with anger, previous Jedi serenity banished from his face. Both men snarled at one another as the saber's moved closer to one then the other, each Jedi panting from the exertion required to keep the other's deadly blade at bay. Obi-Wan took one hand off his hilt and shoved Qui-Gon with a substantial force push, his master went flying backwards and landed with a splash a few meters away temper still fuming.

Qui-Gon found his footing and leaped at the same time Obi-Wan did both men crashed into each other high above the raging river, blue and green lights melding as one, the other arm grappling with each other's holds. Obi-Wan grunted as they impacted and started to sail downwards towards the river bed, neither man relinquishing their grip on the other. The sheer force of the impact with the ground however had both of them release each other, the duo rolled and spun back to their feet and in less than a second were striking again.

 _'He betrayed you…'_

Obi-Wan was soaked to the bone, heart hammering with rage, saber spitting in defiance. _Time to end this._ This time when he bore down on Qui-Gon the elder Jedi not only met his attacks but strove to strike him too, it was exhilarating to say the least. Blood pumped loudly through his veins as Obi-Wan was forced to leap over an arcing swing aimed at his kneecaps. When he landed however he was not prepared for the force push which crashed into his body, he flew backwards with such force his body smashed into the rocky face of the waterfall rattling all of his bones and eliciting a cry to tear itself from his throat.

 _'He hurt you…'_

 _'He called you worthless'._

Obi-Wan groaned and tasted blood in his mouth as he pushed himself back to his feet shakily, adrenaline pumped through his veins along with anew conviction to _end_ this man.

When he glared through the waterfall's spray at his master he noted the man had gone rigid, face ashen and white in comprehension of something. Obi-Wan didn't give it another thought and raced back through the waterfall saber sizzling when it came into contact with the spray and leapt at the still stationary Qui-Gon.

A green saber moved to block the strike, albeit lazily. All rage and anger from the elder man drained away as his gaze softened in pity. It made Obi-Wan's temper flare once more as Qui-Gon's sorrowful gaze met his. He struck again and again, weakening the man's blocks each time, Qui-Gon refused to strike back.

"Fight me, you coward!" Obi-Wan screamed at the retreating form, slashing using every fibre of his loathing.

 _'He doesn't believe you are good enough…'_

Qui-Gon stepped back once more and let the saber drop from his fingertips, shaking his head at his former student. The hilt splashed into the river's flow with a plop, Qui-Gon continued to stand there righteous as ever. The image set Obi-Wan's anger blazing.

He viciously snarled and reached out a hand clenching his fingers slightly, Qui-Gon's own hands flew to his throat as he gasped for breath, his feet leaving the river bed as Obi-Wan raised his arm slowly. Obi-Wan squeezed harder, striding towards the flailing man that he used to love… _He was your father…_ Shaking his head confused his conviction lowered a tad, feelings unclear. Just as the light was starting to leave Qui-Gon Jinn's eyes Obi-Wan released his hold, the Jedi Master crashed back to the ground with an almighty splash whilst hungrily heaving in huge gulps of air.

Obi-Wan clutched his own head as an internal battle raged, his compassion over the good times he and his master had had being overrun by all of the painful things Qui-Gon had done. Distantly he heard Qui-Gon pick himself up from the water, rasping and wheezing now that his windpipe wasn't being crushed. Dooku's memories whizzed through his mind, Qui-Gon's betrayal, his final words…

 _'He deserves everything you've given and more.'_

 _'He failed you, held you back. You must reach your potential!'_

 _'Embrace it, Obi-Wan!'_

Obi-Wan screamed out as all of the voices in his head tempted what he so badly wanted to do, it would be so easy just to topple over the edge…

His clouded eyes sprung open as he sensed movement, Qui-Gon was staring at him skin bathed in an eerie blue as Obi-Wan's saber hovered close.

"You must choose this path alone, Padawan," Qui-Gon managed to rasp out as he breathed heavily.

"I said don't call me that," Obi-Wan ground out through gritted teeth, saber hovering near Qui-Gon's throat.

"Obi-Wan… Do not lose yourself," Qui-Gon implored to his previous apprentice, tears running freely down the elder man's face as he clutched his crushed throat.

Obi-Wan halted, almost being caught out by his master's tone and believing that this man actually cared for his future, for him.

 _'He lies…'_

 _'He's always lied to you…'_

"This is the end for you, _my master_." Abolishing his master's words as a dirty trick he raised his light saber high above his head in preparation for the final blow, his overwhelming rage making his muscles tremble.

Qui-Gon made no movement to defend himself, no move to overpower Obi-Wan. _He was weak._ This _traitor_ , this _liar_ only muttered one more treacherous remark dejectedly.

"Do what you must, Obi-Wan, I will fight you no more…"

Qui-Gon Jinn closed his eyes, adjusted to kneel in the meditative posture and breathed in deeply one last time. Obi-Wan's arms trembled slightly as he held the blade high above his head, preparing himself to end this once and for all.

 _'Don't hesitate'._

Why was he hesitating? Here was the man that had caused him so much agony, so much heart ache at his mercy. The voice in his head urged him onwards, just one more step and it would be done, he would have peace…

 _'Embrace it'._

Jedi do not embrace anger… Yet this was the only course of action Obi-Wan saw before him, it felt good and it felt _right_.

 _'Do it.'_

Obi-Wan registered a heart-wrenching outcry tear itself from his throat as he swung his saber downwards, towards his master's head…

* * *

 **A/N - Sorry I'm leaving it on that *runs away from computer* Do not worry the next segment is being written as you read this and is also looking to be a long chapter too.**

 **Until next time...**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N - So after that dastardly cliffhanger here is the next part! Hope you all enjoy :)**

 **RandomCupCake - Thank you so much for your kind words this review really brought a smile to my face :D I'm really glad you are enjoying the story!**

 **Sad Dragon - Yeah sorry about the cliffhanger but it had to be done! All is well the chapter is here now for you read :D Thank you very much for reviewing I really appreciate it!**

* * *

The azure saber swung downwards almost in slow motion, Obi-Wan's scream of anguish the only sound piercing through the crash of the waterfall. The swing was done, the choice made, he let the saber extinguish and roll from his fingertips crashing into the raging river below to bury itself alongside his former master's. His eyes were still squeezed shut as he fell to his knees amongst the icy dregs, shaking, disgusted with himself. _What have I done?_

* * *

Ventress took a few minutes to compose herself, she had lost control with Kenobi already and pushed a tad too far. She could feel her Master's displeasure clearly along with his warnings of him having to relieve her. The young Knight seemed to have a great skill in getting under her skin, the sarcastic comments, the righteousness. It made her _sick_. Annoyingly Kenobi was tougher than he appeared, she thought she had the Jedi pegged but it seems most of it was an illusion. She could feel the only reason Dooku wasn't storming in here this instant was because she seemed to be getting somewhere on the Jinn front, Kenobi's rage was increasing by the minute.

She glared back over at his captive form, feeling extremely miffed that he was still defying her need to break him. It was of no matter the more defiance the higher the satisfaction she felt when he finally cracked, and Ventress could feel even in an unconscious state that Kenobi was cracking. She moved closer as his body jerked slightly, eyes narrowing and mind probing to his unconscious state. Whatever was going on in his head was certainly affecting the young Jedi greatly, she could sense his heightened emotions his increased heart rate. As Ventress searched deeper what she found shocked her, the wave of rage and fury rolling from inside Kenobi slammed into her with full force he was furious.

 _Interesting…_ Ventress thought before heading to the side in search of something to bring Kenobi back to consciousness, she was ready to begin again and had a new point to hone in on. Encouragingly she felt her Master's pleasure radiate out to reach her in the cell, he had too sensed Kenobi's inner most thoughts and was satisfied that Ventress appeared to be breaking through. Her Master didn't need to know their goals were different, not now. For the moment she would continue to strike at Kenobi's weakness' and show Dooku exactly what she saw…

Obi-Wan came crashing back into reality instantly as shocking icy water made contact with his body, he spluttered and shivered as his muddled brain caught up with the physical world. _Where was he again?_

"I'm afraid you're not getting away from me that easily, dear."

 _Oh yes, Ventress._

He shook his head once again, hoping to rid himself of the freezing substance which was already sticking to his hair and clothes. As Obi-Wan took stock of his physical predicament all the agony of previous injuries came flooding back immediately, he gasped outright as the pressure on his damaged leg was too much. From the strain in his shoulders also it seemed he had been hanging here for some time. He tried to control his ever increasing heart rate, attempted to focus on making his injuries more comfortable, there was only one thing pressing on his mind however hard he tried to bury it. _Qui-Gon._

Tremors were racing throughout his entire broken body as realisation of his actions caught up with his conscious mind, he had _attacked_ Qui-Gon. _He had… He had…_ Obi-Wan found he couldn't even complete the thought, his own horrific actions disgusting him, tearing him inside out. _False Jedi, false Jedi…_

He wanted to retch, he wanted to be free of those memories, he wanted to take back everything he had done. _Too late._ Obi-Wan had let these dark people get to him, they had succeeded. He had failed…

"What has been going on in that mind of yours hmm?"

Obi-Wan threw up as many mental barriers as he could muster, if Ventress found out, if Ventress saw what he had done. _I'm a monster…_ Her fingers were on his shivering cheek again, tracing the droplets as they succumbed to gravity. Obi-Wan flinched as her grip was suddenly in his hair, untying the blindfold. He couldn't let her see, couldn't let her know. He was _dark._

The heavy blindfold fell away from his eyes allowing Obi-Wan to adjust his sight to the new light levels, blinking away the dregs of unconsciousness he found himself alarmingly close to the contemplative face of Ventress. He actually attempted to squirm away as the shock of the proximity between them caught up with his still sluggish mind. At least that damn voice was gone, he felt as though the drugs were wearing off somewhat. Well they had done their damage, the combination of all of the events had pushed him over the edge, Obi-Wan should have resisted more there was no blaming his actions on anyone but himself. He should have known this would happen again after he lost control with Maul, with Dooku. He had never expected to lose control with Qui-Gon though, _oh force forgive me._

Ventress smiled ever so sweetly as her prey tried to evade her presence, albeit in vain. Obi-Wan's breathing was erratic, out of control, she was assessing him attempting to work out what had the Jedi Knight rattled so much. Her hand shot out again and had his jaw in her grip painfully, eyes locking with his. She was going to search his mind…

"No… please…"

Obi-Wan couldn't believe the words had flown out of his mouth until he heard them, voice pleading, broken. Ventress cocked her head to one side intrigued, she obviously hadn't expected him to act this way, to be so… _shaken._

Of course this witch had no mercy, she brutally assaulted his mind with a severe lack of regard to the agony she was causing her captive. Obi-Wan screamed. He yelled and howled as Ventress' mind probe scoured through his memories, searching for why the Jedi Knight was so rattled. He battled her tooth and nail for every precious scrap, skill matched skill as both opponents wrestled over control of his mind. Obi-Wan was adamant he would not let this witch see what he had done, _never._

The agony in his skull tripled as Ventress pushed forward further, intent on stealing what she was seeking. She viciously tore down mental defences as fast as Obi-Wan was putting them up, he soon sensed her discomfort also as the sheer effort taken to keep up the battle was taking its toll on her own mind. If only he could last just a little longer…

Obi-Wan gasped as finally, blissfully Ventress staggered away from him breaking the connection. She didn't find what she was looking for, and he would never let her. Conviction burned in his eyes as he managed to squeeze them open and glare at his captor, fire rekindling his soul over the fact she would _never_ know. His head felt like it was going to split in two, the agony was nothing like he had ever felt before. Sure he had been subject to some pretty vicious mind probe's over the years, but nothing quite like that. It was as if the pair had been tugging over dominance of Obi-Wan's soul itself.

Ventress clutched the wall for support as she too recovered from the battle they had undertook, it seemed she had never had to fight someone so brutally for information before. She glared back at Obi-Wan, confusion set in her gaze at the sudden change of events. Only a few moments ago he had literally been begging her, now, well now was a whole different ball game.

Once she had recovered the dark Witch didn't hesitate heading back over to Obi-Wan's chained form, murder in her eyes, a very sharp knife in her grip. Looking into her eyes was like staring at a fire, a raging uncontrolled fire. She reached his position in three short strides and didn't waste any time, the knife stabbed ferociously into his thigh, just above the point where there was also a deep gash, courtesy of Ventress of course.

Obi-Wan cried out in agony as the shockwaves radiated from the damaged limb, he leaned heavily onto his good leg to try and alleviate the misery the new knife wound had caused him, hissing as the movement jarred the injury. Ventress did not remove the knife, she kept it exactly where she had thrust it. Glowering vengefully at Obi-Wan, breath coming in quick wrathful bursts.

"Tell me, Kenobi. Now," She commanded, wiggling the knife's position slightly to increase Obi-Wan's misery.

Obi-Wan gasped as the weapon nudged in its place, sending new levels of pain to radiate through the limb. His conviction remained, he would not let this Witch see what she had done to him.

"No," He spat steadily into her face, leaning close enough to touch her nose with his own if he so wished.

Her gaze narrowed to slits, face shaking with uncontrolled rage. The knife was maliciously twisted in the wound, eliciting an inhumane cry from his parched throat. He let his head hang backwards as the agony wracked through his body, she thought she could break him with pain. Well the joke was on her, the pain was the only thing keeping him distracted from the demons within his own mind.

Quick as lightening the knife was withdrawn, before Obi-Wan could truly absorb the pain caused by the action Ventress was on the attack again. It seemed she now wanted to use him as a punching bag as he observed the hilt of the knife come sailing towards his already crushed nose. Blinding pain sparked as the hit made contact, he felt his head snap back with the impact. Ventress swung again and again and again, screaming out with her own rage as he stayed silent. Unwilling to depart with this one secret, his soul.

Obi-Wan's groans grew quieter with each hit, each slice, each stabbing. Ventress didn't seem to take notice, and if she had she obviously didn't care. Her rage had taken over, the beast inside unleashed. Obi-Wan thought distantly she could actually _kill_ him if she didn't stop soon, even though he was a Jedi he was still human. The human body could only take so much, Obi-Wan found himself drift back into blackness as the brutal unchecked attack raged on, each blow left only a stinging reminder now. His nerves and muscles too numb to fully absorb the pain that each strike left in its wake, he was definitely going to pass out. Whether the final push into oblivion would be the blood loss, shock, pain, he didn't know. He just knew he didn't want to be anywhere anymore.

Suddenly the attacks stopped, he blearily recognised Ventress halt in her tracks in front of him. Rage still there yes, but also _fear. What could make her afraid?_ Just before Obi-Wan passed out he thought he caught a glimpse of a caped man swoop into the cell, his addled and muddled brain dismissed the new information as nothing of importance, so Obi-Wan found himself falling back into oblivion.

* * *

After the last loss of control Dooku decided it would be prudent to keep an eye on Ventress and Kenobi, whilst he was content with the majority of her performance he would not stand for Kenobi to be hurt too greatly, it would be of no use to any of them. Ventress did have a tendency to lose control, it was one of the many reasons Dooku knew she was not good enough to be his apprentice. He was painfully aware of her feelings over the matter however, she was not a fool Ventress knew of his desires for Kenobi to join their side she just didn't know that he planned for her to be gone in the process.

As much as it pained him to leave this task to Ventress, the task of pushing Kenobi over the edge it was a necessary one. If Dooku himself was the one to do it then he knew Kenobi would not respond to him, not after being through that much mental and physical agony to achieve falling. No, it had to be Ventress, Kenobi already loathed the Witch even more so than he at this moment which was playing right into Dooku's plans. The more Kenobi hated Ventress the easier he would find eliminating her all together, which would surely secure the young Knight's fall to his side, _his apprentice._

Just at the moment he thought everything was going to plan did Dooku sense a spike in the force, reaching out he realised swiftly Ventress had lost control once again and she didn't appear to be stopping. Dooku stormed towards the interrogation room, sending his displeasure to Ventress in an effort to get her to stop. The foolish Witch didn't even acknowledge it, she was far too wrapped in her own rage and payback for his demands to break through.

Dooku roared into the cell radiating displeasure towards her as he moved towards the pair, Ventress stopped abruptly as she realised he was there. He glared down at her, disappointment and rage emitting from his own force presence, she moved away from Obi-Wan and let the bloodied knife slip from her grip. If Dooku hadn't still needed her he would have squeezed the life from her pathetic body there and then, he forced himself to calm down somewhat so she wouldn't' pick up on too many of this thoughts, it would do no good to ruin the surprise early.

"Fetch me the healing crystals." He ground out dangerously.

He witnessed Ventress scowl once more at Kenobi before scurrying off to obey his order, he should have been paying more attention to her state, he more than anyone knew Ventress was unpredictable and volatile. Dooku turned back to the bloodied from of Obi-Wan and sighed, she really had done a number on the Jedi, not many parts of him weren't covered in blood.

Dooku lowered Obi-Wan gently to the floor and unclipped the manacles with a flick of his wrist, something strange ached in his chest for a few moments before the ex-Jedi quashed the feeling ruthlessly, emotions would do no good here. He assessed Kenobi's condition and luckily found that the damage was not as bad as it had looked when he first entered the cell, staring down at the blood soaked face of the Jedi, Dooku wondered what was running through his mind. He had felt Ventress making progress before she had lost control and only hoped that her attack had helped to seal the young Jedi's fate…

* * *

Obi-Wan felt drained, the voices that had been running rampant through his head silenced after his inner battle, all emotions quashed. He felt himself shaking as tears ran freely down his face, his knees were still submerged in the glacial temperature water. Shame was the one emotion that rose again, tainting his cheeks, stealing all of his remaining strength away from him. No matter what Qui-Gon had done, Obi-Wan had been the true monster today becoming the very thing he swore to destroy.

"Obi-Wan." The voice was gentle, accompanied by a hand applying a tiny amount of pressure on his shoulder.

"No stay away from me…" He scrambled away from the hand, stumbling once in the water before finding his footing and running away from his Master.

"I'm dark!" He sprinted away from the waterfall as fast as his exhausted limbs would carry him, tears running freely down his face as he sought a path to leave this awful place.

This once sacred ground had been so full of cherished memories of he and Qui-Gon and his childhood friends, he had desecrated it all with his violent actions. He didn't deserve to live, didn't deserve the name Jedi. He almost stumbled again as he bounded up stone steps taking them two at a time, _false Jedi, false Jedi, false Jedi._

He was drenched head to toe with freezing droplets that chilled him to the bone, hair a mess of drenched sweat, blood and the river bed. Heart hammering Obi-Wan continued onwards, unsure of his destination, just knowing he had to get far away from anyone he could hurt. He was _dark_.

Hurtling across streams, through thick plants, leaping up inclines he found he could run no longer. Energy spent Obi-Wan went careering to the ground, knees hitting the floor sending shockwaves rattling through his body, head bent forward to touch the cool muddy ground. Breathing heavily he glanced upwards and was surprised to see his escape had ended up with him being _here._

A great willow tree sat before him, gently swaying as the artificial breeze pushed against its branches. It was _beautiful._ Hot tears continued to run down his face as he came to terms with what he had become, what he had done. His reverie was broken by the pattering of footsteps, he whipped his head round to face the intruder and stumbled backwards as Qui-Gon Jinn calmly sauntered towards him, strangely he had a smile plastered on his face.

"Master! Stay away, I'm dangerous," Obi-Wan spluttered whilst attempting to scamper away from the impending form of Qui-Gon Jinn.

"Nonsense."

Qui-Gon reached Obi-Wan's alarmed and flailing form, placing a restraining hand on Obi-Wan's shaking shoulder. Obi-Wan in turn started to shake his head, not believing Qui-Gon could be this naive. _Had he not seen what Obi-Wan had become?_

"I almost killed you! I wanted to, I had it within me too!"

Qui-Gon dropped to the ground beside Obi-Wan, looking right at his former student as he replied kindly and firmly.

"Yet you didn't."

The end of their duel played through Obi-Wan's mind, he watched as if he was on the sidelines looking in.

 _Qui-Gon Jinn knelt in the river before Obi-Wan, eyes closed and resolute, posture in the classic meditation stance. It reminded Obi-Wan of what he saw on Naboo several years previously… The thrumming of his blue blade raised above his Master's head broke through the crashing of the waterfall._

 _Obi-Wan could remember the conflict and battle occurring inside himself as he stood there, lost in an seemingly never ending moment. He observed as the decision was made at the last possible moment, determination and anguish stretched across Obi-Wan's face as the light saber sailed downwards._

 _The inhumane cry that emitted from his throat was filled with such emotion, such pain that it seemed to splinter the air itself. Obi-Wan observed as the blade crashed down past the form of Qui-Gon, ending its journey with an almighty splash as it landed in the river, the force behind the swing sending shockwaves up Obi-Wan's trembling arms as the motion finished…_

Obi-Wan's thoughts returned to the present moment as his Master's hand gripped his chin gently, forcing him to meet his now serious gaze.

"You made your choice, Obi-Wan, you chose to stay in the light."

Obi-Wan furrowed his brows together in confusion, he lost control he let himself completely be controlled by anger.

"But… But… I…" He stuttered not knowing how best to convey his mixed inner thoughts.

Qui-Gon interrupted him whilst holding a hand up to his face, smiling sadly slightly at his former Padawan's muddled thoughts.

"Obi-Wan, to flirt with darkness is not to fall, you were at the very edge of balance. Your soul battling between the two overwhelming forces."

Qui-Gon paused making sure he held Obi-Wan's gaze completely, who in turn stared right back at his Master, confusion the upmost feature sprawled over his face.

"And you served the light, my brave Padawan.'

Obi-Wan glanced downwards deep in thought, mulling over his Master's words. Could it be true? He wanted so very much to believe the words his Master was saying, deep down they sparked a feeling of truth. He closed his eyes and examined himself, astonishingly there didn't seem to be the gnawing darkness there that had been growing ever since this fateful mission had started. Obi-Wan gasped as his eyes flew open, the truth that Qui-Gon was imploring him to see strengthening his very being.

He found his face suddenly wet as warm tears started to fall down his dirty cheeks, Obi-Wan sobbed with joy as the meaning of what he had done caught up to his addled brain. _He wasn't dark._

Qui-Gon beamed widely at Obi-Wan's joy, wiping away the tears gently with his hands.

"This is what you were fighting for, you just didn't know it…"

Qui-gon's hand touched his Padawan's head lightly, projecting all the memories of their apprenticeship, as well as memories of Anakin and Obi-Wan's own journey together. Love, compassion, happiness. The feelings struck Obi-Wan with full force now, the images flashed through his mind so quickly he found he couldn't keep up with all of them, the meaning was clear however. This was what was important in his life, Qui-Gon, Anakin, being a Jedi, the light.

The images started to fade as Qui-Gon withdrew his touch and placed his hand back on Obi-Wan's shoulder protectively, Obi-Wan remembered the familiar touch and reveled in it, leaning into the comforting gesture. He looked up into the smiling face of Qui-Gon who also too seemed to be having trouble keeping his emotions in check, cheeks glistening slightly with tears.

"It's really you isn't it?"

Obi-Wan's voice cracked with emotion as the impossible thought rang true, everything logical was telling him this couldn't happen, yet Obi-Wan did not care. The most important sense, the force, was telling him a different story. It had been all along.

"Yes, Padawan, I think you've known all along." Qui-Gon beamed back proudly.

Obi-Wan turned fully and flung his arms around the elder Jedi's neck, his Master. The feeling was incredible, it had been so long since he had wished to do this just once more.

"I've missed you so much…" Obi-Wan muttered into Qui-Gon's shoulder, staining his Master's tunic with a new wave of tears.

Obi-Wan pulled away slightly to look upon his Master once more, shaking his head at what was occurring.

"I know, Obi-Wan, you must know that I never truly left." Qui-Gon placed a hand firmly on his Padawan's shoulder.

Obi-Wan glanced down at the touch, brain still not quite registering the miracle that was taking place, the force truly was a powerful ally, Obi-Wan felt humbled once more.

"But how… how is any of this even possible? How can you be here?"

"I never listened to rules in life, my Padawan, do you really think I would start in death?" He chuckled, mirth glittering his eyes.

"I'm sorry, Qui-Gon, I've been ignorant and closed minded. I don't how you've coped with me pushing you away all this time." Obi-Wan muttered feeling like a junior Padawan again, how foolish had he been? He let his chin drop to his chest, shame colouring his cheeks once more.

Qui-Gon lifted his chin up with a gentle grip, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth, eyebrows raised sardonically. "Years and years of practice, my Padawan."

Obi-Wan felt a smile tug at his lips until all the events of the past hour came crashing back with full force, he gulped as his horrific actions played through his mind.

"I have disgraced myself today, Master, forgive me."

Qui-Gon sighed as the ugly subject reared its head once more, they had much to discuss and this would not be an easy conversation for either of them.

"There is nothing to forgive, Obi-Wan, it is I who must beg your forgiveness."

Obi-Wan looked aghast as Qui-Gon uttered the words, disbelief that his Master didn't think Obi-Wan needed to apologise. No matter the good outcome he had acted wickedly in their last few encounters and had almost gone past the point of no return. The proximity in which Obi-Wan had come to the dark side made him shudder.

"But, Master, what I did…"

Qui-Gon interrupted his apprentice once more, not willing to hear any more apologies over the matter. It was time he took responsibility for his own grievous mistakes.

"I have failed you. Obi-Wan."

"No, Master, I didn't…" Obi-Wan shockingly spluttered the reply, quick to abolish and take back his harsh words from earlier.

"Hush, please let me speak. Obi-Wan. It is past time you heard this."

Qui-Gon offered a stern gaze as Obi-Wan nearly disobeyed and retorted anyway, his Padawan nodded slowly and gave his Master his full attention.

"I realised I was attached fairly early on in our apprenticeship, you brought out a paternal side in me that was extremely dangerous for the pair of us. Foolishly I ignored all the signs and told myself that my attachment to you was not a problem."

Qui-Gon gulped slightly at the next line of thought, emotions rising already. Readying himself he glanced at Obi-Wan and noted the young man was watching attentively, taking in everything.

"When Tahl…"

He stuttered as the name passed his lips, it still hurt as much as it did when she passed into the force. The emotions simmered to the surface as the awful memory in question replayed in Qui-Gon's mind. Obi-Wan stayed silent, a sorrowful look adorning his own features as he sensed his Master's anguish.

"When Tahl passed and I nearly fell to the dark side I realised, if I nearly did that for her…"

This was tougher than Qui-Gon had ever expected, he paused once more and took a deep breath to compose himself, willing the strong emotions to subside.

"Obi-Wan, I loved you like a son, I still do. If I almost turned for Tahl… It terrified me what I would do for you."

He heard Obi-Wan gasp slightly at the truth, glancing at his Padawan's face nearly made it impossible for Qui-Gon to continue. Obi-Wan was in shock, fresh tears glistening his crystal blue eyes. _He really didn't know_ , Qui-gon thought amazed again at how humble Obi-Wan was.

"In truth there was nothing I would not have done to protect you…"

Qui-Gon managed to finish without his voice cracking too much, emotions were really running high now on both sides. This conversation was long overdue indeed.

"I realised something needed to change and fast, I decided to distance myself from you, hoping it would help and allow you to branch out further."

"Pushing you away, it broke my heart."

Qui-Gon's voice did crack then, unable to hold back the flood of emotions threatening to overcome him. Obi-Wan also looked close to completely breaking down, the honesty from Qui-Gon was something he had always wished for. He had never known his Master's true feelings or reasons for what at the time Obi-Wan conceived as betrayal, thinking Qui-Gon had simply got bored with him. He could not have been more wrong, he saw that now.

"I did not handle the situation well, a foolish old man like me thought it was for the greater good. I should have just talked to you… I see that now…"

The pauses in Qui-Gon's sentences increased as he struggled to continue, he couldn't even look at the relief and happiness on Obi-Wan's face now without the guilt inside him welling up, threatening to drown out everything else. His foolish actions had caused the boy he loved so much pain, _how could I have been so stupid!_

"I am so sorry for the pain I caused you, Padawan, it was never my intent… I only wanted… what was best for you…"

Obi-Wan struggled valiantly against the breakdown that was threatening to overcome him, breathing deeply as the truth spilled out of his Master's mouth. Both Master and apprentice were toppling over the edge of an abyss now, held captive by their own emotions, multiplied in magnitude by the time that had passed.

"My stupid misguided actions have damaged your future and your potential, for that I can only beg your forgiveness."

Qui-Gon's tone became solemn as he gained more control over his rampant emotions, his hand lifted to touch Obi-Wan's cheek lightly wiping away the tears softly.

"There are no words to describe how proud of you I am, Obi-Wan, how proud I am over the Jedi Knight, the _man_ , you have become."

He gazed into Obi-Wan's tear filled eyes and paused as his Padawan's shaking face nearly rendered him unable to complete his passionate speech. Obi-Wan could tell this was all coming from the heart. Taking another breath and fighting back his own tears Qui-Gon continued once more, voice unashamedly cracking completely with emotion now.

"You were and always will be a son to me, Obi-Wan, my pride and joy. You are my legacy, and I could not have asked for more. My brave strong brat…"

The wells of both Jedi broke at once, they toppled over into the abyss as emotions won their battle over the two. Obi-Wan leapt into Qui-Gon's embrace fiercely, face crushed against the elder man's chest as violent sobs wracked his body. Qui-Gon in turn gripped his Padawan tightly, losing his own battle with holding back the tears. They both clung to one another for comfort, for support, reveling in the new stage of their relationship, complete openness and honesty with one another.

The two could have been kneeling there for hours in that embrace, content with their new understanding and the gigantic change that occurred in their lives. Qui-Gon reluctantly was the first to pull back from the emotional exchange as he reached down to his belt for a very precious item that did not belong to him.

Obi-Wan looked down and smiled at the sight, he too leaned back and gazed back into his Master's face breaking out into a grin at the pride covering Qui-Gon's features.

"Here I think you dropped something." Qui-Gon grinned as he pushed Obi-Wan's light saber back into his open palm.

"I will never disgrace it again," Obi-Wan solemnly promised, holding his master's gaze.

"I know."

Obi-Wan knew then what ever Dooku would throw at him, he had won the real battle here. He would never fall, _never_.

* * *

Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon strolled side by side down their favoured path, atmosphere now back to the tranquil and serene state it should be, both Jedi content and at peace with one other. Obi-Wan was deep in thought, pondering the events of the last day.

"What Dooku speaks of, can it be true? We've all sensed a vast disturbance in the force for some time."

Qui-Gon turned to face his Padawan, surprised at the breaking of the silence they had kept since the emotional exchange earlier. He considered the question for a few moments before replying, taking extreme care with the choice of words.

"I cannot say for certain, Obi-Wan, I will say this though. Yours's and Anakin's destinies are fast approaching and you must decide for yourself which course of action to take."

Obi-Wan sighed absently as the weight of his Master's words struck him with full force, he found himself stuck at a seemingly dead end once more.

"Dooku wants me to join him. I will not turn to the dark side to defeat another."

"I know you will not, you have conquered the dark side here today, my Padawan."

"Hmm…"

Obi-Wan sighed as the force was dishing him out with an ultimatum, one he did not wish to choose. He knew Qui-Gon was right, he had fought the true dark side here today, the potential darkness within him. Obi-Wan knew now Dooku wouldn't be able to antagonise him in the same way, all of his previous words would now wash over the Knight with ease.

"I know you're brooding face, Padawan, out with it."

Obi-Wan chuckled lightly, the slight smile not quite reaching his eyes.

"I know I must have a hand in the dark Sith's downfall and Dooku will be there also, I feel it, Master. What does that mean for me? The two statements contradict each other." Obi-Wan explained with an exasperated look, not knowing how to proceed at this crossroad.

"Not necessarily, Obi-Wan."

Obi-Wan's head snapped to Qui-Gon's as a confused look spread over his face, what was his Master talking about? Qui-Gon smiled down at Obi-Wan as he sensed his befuddlement.

"You don't need to turn to fight alongside Dooku, his pride blinds him trust me on that. If you make him believe he is succeeding he will be oblivious to your true intentions, he wants you as his apprentice above all else. He sense greatness in you."

Obi-Wan turned back to face forwards, head bowed in deep contemplation. He understood what Qui-Gon was suggesting but it was a very dangerous game to play, especially as the force itself was telling him the importance of his actions this decision could not be made lightly. Dooku was as clever as he was devious, tricking him would not be some easy feat, considering the events that occurred here Obi-Wan knew he would have to do a lot of lying and deceiving on his end to make the ex-Jedi still believe there was a potential Obi-Wan would fall. Also a nagging thought played on his mind, _shouldn't the council decide a decision as large as this?_

"But the council… They are in a far better position to go forward with this new threat than I am."

Qui-Gon chuckled lightly at his Padawan's objection, always following the rules to the letter. He had constantly urged Qui-Gon to heed the council's instructions and cease being a maverick for once in his life.

"Obi-Wan I know you never liked me going against the council, I only did so when the force urged me to take action. That is what we do first and foremost, follow the will of the force. Do you not believe that is why you're here? Why Anakin is here? You must trust that these events are unfolding for a reason, a reason the Jedi council may not see for some time…"

Qui-Gon observed Obi-Wan take in his reasonings and nod slowly, contemplating the possibility. He would have to think all this through himself to truly understand the best course of action, Qui-Gon had the upmost confidence that Obi-Wan would be able to do just that.

"Maybe…"

Qui-Gon smiled and clapped a shoulder round his Padawan's broad shoulders, pulling him in to a one armed embrace as they continued to lightly stroll.

"Whatever the decision you make, Obi-Wan, it is yours to do so. I only offer this advice, trust in your feelings, in the force and you will be making the right choice."

Obi-Wan stopped walking and turned to look at Qui-Gon, grateful over his Master's advice and helpful words.

"Thank you, Master."

Qui-Gon beamed and squeezed his Padawan's shoulder affectionately, Obi-Wan grinned back at his Master. Abruptly the mood changed. Qui-Gon worriedly felt Obi-Wan's posture stiffen, confusion etched his previously joyous features.

"What's wrong, Padawan?" Qui-Gon couldn't help the panic that crept into his own voice.

Obi-Wan glanced down at the discomfort that was quickly transforming into full-fledged misery, his chest and stomach started to redden as blood leaked through his tunics.

"I think my physical body is calling me back." Obi-Wan grunted stiffly, eyes widening in pain before his legs gave way completely and he gasped out in agony.

Qui-Gon caught hold of his shoulder easily and helped lower his shaking body to the ground, concerned gaze bearing through Obi-Wan's increasingly blurred vision.

"Oh Padawan…"

That was the last thing Obi-Wan heard before his heavy eyelids finally closed, the room of a thousand fountains faded away once more to be replaced by the feel of cold metal hugging his back. Agony radiated throughout Obi-Wan's nerves as consciousness finally ceased eluding his muddled mind, voices started to break through the pain induced haze as he groaned and attempted to move his head.

"You've done enough leave this to me." The voice was harsh and grating, laced with anger. Obi-Wan identified it soon after to belong to Count Dooku.

"Fine." He heard Ventress grunt out before a door whooshed open and he no longer felt her presence in the cell.

Obi-Wan managed to open his eyes blearily and proceeded to blink the dregs of unconsciousness away, naturally bringing his hands up to assist in his task. He noted his wrists were now un-manacled which allowed the chafing to cease it was obvious he was no danger to Dooku in this state, Obi-Wan could not lift his arms up higher than a few inches however before his shoulder's screamed in protest. He gasped loudly as the pain radiated back up his abused muscles, the torn flesh ripping as it was jostled.

"Easy, Kenobi."

The voice was not gentle but it was commanding, rifled with authority and Obi-Wan picked up on a not so subtle amount of force suggestion as well, his gaze then fell upon Dooku. The Count was kneeling beside Obi-Wan's prone body, hands clutching what appeared to be healing crystals, which were pressed against Obi-Wan's chest. Suddenly his body seemed to be embraced by warmth as Dooku closed his eyes and put all his reserves into the task ahead.

Obi-Wan did not know how much damage Ventress had wrought, but guessing by his agony and Dooku's rage he concluded she was never meant to go this far. The misery he felt started to subside as the healing energies flowed through him freely, he actually felt the force. It was magical. Breathing in deeply and basking in its currents Obi-Wan allowed his eyes to shut close and enjoy this moment of peace. He hadn't touched the force with an unburdened heart in so long it was truly riveting, he felt more at peace and centered than ever. If Dooku had picked up on his thoughts he certainly hadn't shown any sign of doing do, he was too enthralled in the healing technique.

Obi-Wan abolished all thoughts and strove to build mental defences around his and Qui-Gon's conversation, his Master was right Dooku must not know. Obi-Wan knew this was a dangerous game but what choice did he have? The force had led him and his Padawan to this point, seeking guidance now he saw more clearly what he had picked up on before. This dark Lord of the Sith was certainly real, and was a great danger to the galaxy. Obi-Wan would do everything in his power to stop the abysmal future he had sensed from happening, the force was pushing he and Anakin on this path so they must do their upmost to prevail.

A great burden settled on Obi-Wan's shoulders as for the first time the full weight of his and Anakin's actions became known to him, their choices would alter the fate of the galaxy itself. With that deadly knowledge Obi-Wan found himself drifting back into unconsciousness again as Dooku continued his trance whilst muttering sleep suggestions at the Knight. Obi-Wan found he did not want to fight the inescapable sleep, he would be needing his full strength in the near future so he slowly succumbed to the inevitable.

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 **A/N - Well that's all for this instalment, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter! Not an evil cliffhanger this time :) Please review if you enjoyed it really means a lot to me!**

 **Obi-Wan's having a tough time of it recently... oops! next time we'll be heading back to Anakin and have a catchup with the council's investigation once more.**

 **Until next time...**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N - We're heading back to other character's in the story this chapter so little Ani's back! I couldn't really keep Obi-Wan as an evil person... It's just too mean! Anyways thanks for the continued interest and reviews, enjoy the chapter!**

 **Annie Walker - Thought I would reply here as you're having problems with your account! Alas no Dooku was extremely angry with her tactics, I mean who can blame him she is trying to ruin all of his plans! That's the problem with Ventress, she doesn't have much control even less so than Dooku, especially when it comes to Obi-Wan. It was nice to be able to use Qui-Gon in that means, having Obi-Wan in that state there was only one person who could possibly reach him! Hope you enjoy this chapter!**

 **LongLive1234 - Welcome to fanfiction officially! thank you for your review very kind words :) it always brings a smile to my face when people are enjoying it! Enjoy!**

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Anakin shivered slightly as the bond that connected him with his Master spiked, the flash of emotion and pain traversing through their connection only lasted a second before it was gone but Anakin still felt everything. His eyes shot open as the feelings washed through his own body, it worried him more than not knowing the fate of Obi-Wan. _Rage, despair, intense grief,_ unlike Anakin had ever felt not to mention the flash of physical torment he had just been partial too. What in the force could make his Master respond this way?

Anakin had been attempting to break through the almost impenetrable wall clouding their bond ever since Obi-Wan had been dragged out of the cell, unsuccessfully at that well until that latest flash. He had been expecting Obi-Wan to be going through something bad if Dooku was involved but what he felt had shaken him completely, the strength of the emotions and anguish he had felt was beyond anything Anakin had ever felt in his life. He strove to stop the trembling that was racking his small frame, breathing in deeply in an attempt to recenter himself within the force. Obi-Wan needed him, he needed help now.

He picked himself off of the floor in a flash and headed over to the energy barrier holding him in the dank room, he and Obi-Wan hadn't been able to find any weakness' in the barrier itself maybe they were coming about the problem the wrong way. It was obvious the force field could not be manipulated by Anakin directly, that did not mean it didn't have some kind of weakness though everything had to. _It had to…_

Anakin realised abruptly he was letting his anxiety over the situation control his thinking, Obi-Wan would expect him to remain objective so Anakin strove to for his Master's sake. Obi-Wan didn't need an anxious apprentice right now, he needed Anakin to be strong.

He reached out with his mind once more on the doorway but instead of lingering on the actual field like he and Obi-Wan had previously, Anakin let his attention drift to the walls either side of the energy field seeking out the electrical currents that were running through the wall. Obi-Wan had always said it wasn't possible to influence machinery with the force, in the way Anakin had planned anyway but he knew better. He shook himself mentally as that came out wrong in his own mind, Anakin respected Obi-Wan's teachings immensely he was a great Jedi Knight however there were somethings the Jedi did not know and machinery was not his strong point.

Anakin had been able to be one with machines ever since he was a youngling, feeling into the heart of a problem and being guided on how to fix the mechanical ailments. For years he thought perhaps it was just a natural skill with machinery but deep down the Padawan knew it ran deeper than that, it was almost as though machines spoke to him as much as the living did.

With anew conviction Anakin felt along the many various complex connections inside the walls, attempting to hone in on a power supply or something he could attempt to manipulate which would short out the field. He was so deeply entranced in his task that he almost missed the darkness rolling towards him, Anakin jumped backwards away from the entrance just as none over than Count Dooku stepped into view.

Anakin's steely gaze didn't remain on Dooku for long however as the body hovering in the air next to him stole the Padawan's breath, _Master!_ Words failed him as he gazed down upon the bloody form of Obi-Wan who hadn't even twitched from his position, Anakin felt his temper flare the longer he continued to stare. Obi-Wan's previously cream tunics were splattered everywhere with crimson, gaping holes peppered his clammy skin which made the Jedi appear dead to the world. Anakin's heart rate rose a few notches as he felt tears well in his eyes, he glared fiercely at Dooku who with one flick of his wrist sent Anakin sprawling away from the entrance.

He found himself flying back before he could stop it, the dark force user's powerful push slamming him into the far wall with an oompphh. Anakin grunted as he slid to the floor, arms still trapped behind his body which made rising awkward. Dooku slowly walked into the cell, guiding Obi-Wan's body forward with him.

"What have you done to him!" He bitterly raged, emotion pouring from every fibre of his being.

Anakin let the tears flow freely down his face, desperately close to losing any semblance of control he had after seeing _his_ Master subject to this inhumane treatment. He didn't even know if Obi-Wan was kriffing breathing anymore…

"He's alive, boy," Dooku muttered dejectedly.

Anakin snapped his attention to the Count, confusion covering his features as he noted the lack of malice behind the words. Dooku even lowered Obi-Wan to the ground gently, careful to save the Jedi from upsetting any of his various wounds. _Why would he look sorry if he did this?_ The Count even looked tired, no he looked _exhausted._

Anakin felt the manacles round his wrists fall away as Dooku flicked his wrist in his general direction, he observed as what appeared to be medical supplies and crystals were brought into the room.

"Do you want to help your Master?"

Anakin gulped slightly, he couldn't sense any semblance of a trap in the tone or the words chosen yet this man was evil. His eyes lowered to Obi-Wan's damaged body and realised no matter what Dooku's game was the answer would still be the same, of course he did. Of course Dooku read his thoughts easily and gestured for the boy to approach his position.

"I regret to say I cannot be any more help to him without a respite, healing is by far the most taxing use of the force."

Why would Dooku be so concerned over healing Obi-Wan if he did this to him in the first place? _Ventress_ the force sang. It did not matter to Anakin they were working together, this was as much Dooku's fault as it was the Witch's.

Anakin reached Obi-Wan's side and knelt next to his Master, lump forming in his throat over the sight. On closer inspection some of the wounds which looked ghastly from a distance, probably because of the amount of blood covering Obi-Wan's tunics, looked partially if not fully healed.

"What do I need to do?" His voice was steady, conviction over the need to help Obi-Wan overriding any other emotions he was feeling before.

Dooku's tired eyes met his for a moment, Anakin thought he saw a flash of regret in the Count's gaze before it was swiftly abolished in place for the usual cold look. The crystals Anakin had noted came towards him and landed by his knees, Anakin placed a hand on each and felt out with the force for any clue as to what they were. With a jump he realised the force seemed to flow right through the crystals, like conduits.

"Use these to aid you, I sense you have already attempted to heal him before?"

Anakin's mind flew back to the cell on Skepaf's ship, the more he connected with Obi-Wan and scanned his body the quicker he realised Dooku must have completed a lot of the process already, it was mainly the sight of all the blood that had Anakin panicked. He was in a lot worse shape on board the pirate's ship than now.

"Yes. Why don't you just use your medical bay?" Anakin enquired in a controlled tone, not allowing the rage he was feeling to come into play, Obi-Wan would need his complete concentration.

"This is faster."

Dooku stole one glance at Obi-Wan before turning and striding out of the cell, reinforcing the force field as he left. Anakin sensed that wasn't the main reason Obi-Wan wasn't in the med-bay but he didn't let his thought process linger too long, instead turning back to the task at end.

Anakin inhaled deeply and strove to replicate his actions earlier, it was far easier this time he soon found out, perhaps it was the crystals which helped the most or even the fact that he could touch his Master at this distance. He let his senses feel out to ascertain the damage, from the looks of things Dooku had dealt with any internal nicks and cuts which left Anakin to focus more on the outside wounds which there were plenty of. It was as if someone had used Obi-Wan as a pin cushion from all the abrasions, which now Anakin thought about it he wouldn't put it pass the Witch to do just that.

He gave himself, his whole self to his Master, felt his energy flow right through the crystals and into Obi-Wan's body, focusing on the worst of the remaining troubles which happened to be a particularly nasty wound in Obi-Wan's upper thigh. Anakin found himself losing concentration somewhat as he imagined the malice and hate that would have to been felt to inflict such a cruel injury, he shook himself of the feelings and continued with his task. Obi-Wan would be okay, Anakin would see to it.

* * *

Obi-Wan felt warmth flow through his body as he finally emerged into consciousness again, he was becoming sick of this injury nonsense to be honest. The agony he was expecting didn't come, in fact the more Obi-Wan returned to his senses the less the pain seemed to be. That didn't mean his body wasn't hurting, after that ruthless assault from Ventress it was only because he was a Jedi that he was alive at this moment. No, Obi-Wan's body throbbed all over, some of the slightly less serious slashes had been reduced to a dull ache but the deeper cuts and stab wounds all flared when he attempted to shift on the floor.

He opened his eyes slowly groaning as he felt a slight pressure on his chest, which looking down he identified to be healing crystals which would explain his miraculous recovery and the warm feeling. His gaze fell upon his Padawan who was deep in concentration by the looks of things, Obi-Wan felt pride well up inside of him as his loyal apprentice poured all of his power and knowledge into helping his Master. Obi-Wan smiled at the sight, Anakin was truly exceptional, always caring for others before himself.

Obi-Wan slowly lifted an arm to touch Anakin's gently, grimacing slightly at the pull on recently healed tissue, Anakin would burn himself out if he were not careful.

"Padawan."

The one word broke through Anakin's haze in less than a second, the boy's eyes flew open and landed on his face, relief plastered over his features. Obi-Wan felt sorrowful for causing Anakin this pain, he had dealt with it time and time again with more maturity than Obi-Wan had ever imagined, this boy, _his padawan,_ was going to make an incredible Jedi Knight someday. He smiled at the thought which caused Anakin to furrow his brows in bewilderment, probably thinking something along the lines of _'has my Master gone mad? Smiling in his condition?'_

He tentatively reached out for his bond with Anakin and reveled in the feeling of it being there, being able to feel his Padawan's presence. Sadly it didn't seem to be up to the usual level so when Obi-Wan attempted to send thoughts he was only met with another confused look from Anakin, it seemed they could sense one another but that was it for the moment. Obi-Wan would take it over nothing however.

"What did they want from you?" Anakin whispered, not quite being able to keep a trace amount of anger out of his tone.

Obi-Wan sighed, how was he even going to begin to explain what he had just been through? _Ventress, the dark side and Qui-Gon?_ Obi-Wan knew he couldn't explain all of it here, not with the cell likely bugged and quite honestly he didn't even know how to start. Anakin would probably declare him absolutely insane and chalk it down to the head wound he was sporting, if he were in Anakin's boots he would do the exact same. It sounded completely and utterly mad even in his own head.

Besides it was safer if Anakin didn't know everything, Dooku may attack him and attempt to break down his shields to find out the truth. The truth that Obi-Wan had absolutely no intention on being his apprentice and the truth that he had conquered the dark side's allure, the truth that he would most likely be lying to and deceiving the Count to lead Obi-Wan to the Sith Master. Obi-Wan still had not decided on his course of action in regards to that, the council would probably say otherwise to his intended actions but if Obi-Wan was honest with himself what other option did he have? He and Anakin were trapped here for the foreseeable future and whilst if an escape opportunity arose, would he take it? If he got away from Dooku then he would never know if the man was telling the truth and the galaxy could very well be falling into a dark future. There was one thing for sure though, he would get Anakin out of here, away from the firing line. He knew what Dooku wanted from him, Anakin was a loose end and he probably intended on Obi-Wan tying up that loose end himself when he became the Count's apprentice.

Obi-Wan scoffed at the idea, he could never hurt Anakin _never_. His Padawan was patiently waiting for an answer which Obi-Wan didn't have yet, he certainly wasn't going to tell Anakin everything he couldn't. As much as it pained Obi-Wan he realised then and there Anakin would have to believe like everyone else that he could fall, it would stretch their trust to the limit perhaps even break it. But Anakin could not know the truth, Dooku would tear his mind apart for it if he even sensed any of this that was going on in Obi-Wan's mind. He would just have to trust that Anakin would forgive him and understand this was not because he didn't trust his Padawan, he was doing this to protect him.

"Dooku believes I can be of some help defeating the Sith Master." Obi-Wan finally settled with the answer, careful to keep his tone dejected but not in disbelief. If Dooku was watching then he would take Obi-Wan's tone to be close to acceptance.

Anakin of course picked up on his tone too and his eyes grew wide with worry, Obi-Wan loathed himself then and there for what his Padawan would believe about him in the days to come. This was the way it had to be, _stop brooding Kenobi he needs you to do this, everyone does._

"You told him to Kriff off I suppose?"

Obi-Wan sensed that even though Anakin was trying to keep his tone light, it was in fact a loaded question. He was extremely concerned with Obi-Wan's answer and lack of defiance over the matter.

"I will do what I must, Padawan." Obi-Wan forcibly made his voice devoid of usual warmth, the tone made Anakin flinch visibly, perhaps it was colder than he intended.

Obi-Wan inwardly cringed as he witnessed Anakin shuffle backwards a trifle, the poor boy had been so loyal and here was his Master failing him in front of his eyes. Obi-Wan's resolve did not break, this was necessary and if it meant that Anakin survived this sorry mess then so be it, his own fate did not matter. He noted Anakin's wary gaze and even felt waves of hypocrisy crash towards him, Obi-Wan did not let the feelings faze him outwardly, he was doing the right thing. No matter how much it was breaking his heart.

* * *

Dooku gazed at the security footage in wonder, he had heard Kenobi's words and even found himself smiling as Skywalker moved away from his Master. It looked like Ventress had achieved something after all, Kenobi was no longer denying to himself what must be done. _Excellent._

The terminal next to Count Dooku beeped, he whipped his head round and narrowed his gaze at the incoming message. It was Sidious. It was only a matter of time before Dooku received this call, he had been expecting it after all. With a deep sigh he prepared himself before accepting the incoming call and the hologram of Darth Sidious appeared in front of him, his Master did not look pleased.

"Darth Tyranus. It has become aware to me that two Jedi are missing, have you acted without my authority?"

Dooku quickly cut his angry retort short, he would lie and manipulate for as long as he could. The last thing he needed now was Sidious ruining his plans with Kenobi, he was sure his Master could sense he had something planned. It was of no matter, soon it would all be over anyway and this relic would cease to exist.

"I have heard nothing of that nature. my Master." He bowed as he proclaimed his loyalty once more, intent on appearing to be nothing other than the loyal servant.

"It is interesting that it is Kenobi and Skywalker, you know of my plans for the boy so I naturally assumed you had ordered it."

"Naturally, however my lord I can say categorically I don't know where they are." Dooku flat out lied to his Master, feeling his heart rate rise a few notches over the thrill of it.

Sidious' eyes narrowed dangerously and Dooku could feel his rage from here, even through the holo image. He was not fooled.

"I won't forget this, Tyranus," his Master snarled before cutting off the connection.

Dooku slammed a fist on the console, shaking the surface enough to send things flying. That old man was far too arrogant for his own good, it would be the greatest joy in the galaxy to watch the old man being chopped down by Kenobi no less. The man that his Master had dismissed as being no-one of consequence, even after his victory over Darth Maul. Yes he looked forward to the day where this man no longer existed, it couldn't come soon enough…

* * *

The atmosphere in the cell had been strained at best, Anakin had gone back to healing his Master and after a small argument Obi-Wan had let him. He knew Anakin wanted to keep his mind busy so as to not decipher what Obi-Wan was turning into, hopefully Dooku would have picked up on the activity too. Obi-Wan once again told Anakin to cease his efforts as he felt the boy start to wear himself out again, his Padawan placed the healing crystals to either side of Obi-Wan and went to pick up the other supplies, _such loyalty._

Obi-Wan decided to start conversation again, as long as he steered away from the other topic there was no reason he and his Padawan could not behave somewhat as they used to. Dooku would not expect Obi-Wan to be so cold to Anakin immediately, only defensive over the Sith subject. Not to mention seeing his Padawan like this and knowing he was the cause was killing him. Anakin drenched a rag into a bowel of water and proceeded to mop up the dried blood which covered Obi-Wan's body, from there he had bacta patches to place on the deeper wounds which hadn't been completely healed. Obi-Wan at least felt a lot less sore, movement didn't cause such a spike in pain anymore which was a blessing.

"Not such a pretty sight am I?" Obi-Wan started lightly, hoping to cut through some of the tension in the room as well as keeping off of the taboo subject.

"I don't know, I've seen worse." Anakin smirked back, familiar warmth glittering slightly in his gaze.

"Are you talking about the aftermath of the race? Or perhaps after you made a bomb in our kitchen?"

"I did not make a bomb!" Anakin squeaked defiantly, splashing some of the water as he dropped the rag in shock.

"Padawan. You blew up the oven." Obi-Wan dead-panned, mirth threatening to overcome him, it was good to be teasing with his Padawan again.

"Well that wasn't my fault…" Anakin continued absently, defending his actions to no avail.

"I think the aftermath of that disaster can speak for itself." Obi-Wan chuckled which had Anakin glance down and finally notice that his Master was teasing and not reprimanding him.

They both thought back to the humorous memory.

 _Obi-Wan strolled along the corridor heading towards his shared apartment with Anakin, he had just left the Senior Dojo and was feeling drained after three very grueling matches. Just as he reached the apartment did his senses flare, there was danger inside. He stormed into the room heading for the vast disturbance in the force, hand gripping his saber tightly. The 'danger' turned out to be his very filthy Padawan hands deep in wires and sparks._

 _Obi-Wan pulled his grip away from his saber and replaced them on his hips transforming his face from laughter to a stern gaze just in time for Anakin to turn meekly up at him._

 _"Care to explain, Padawan?" He managed to keep his voice steely which was a small miracle in itself, the urge to cry with laughter over the sight nearly overwhelmed the Jedi Knight._

 _"Urmm… Well… I…"_

 _"Out with it, Anakin, the quicker you accuse yourself the faster we can get your punishment out of the way." Obi-Wan raised his brow in apprehension waiting on the boy to stutter out a response._

 _"Well, Master, you know how this heap of junk always burns stuff or it doesn't cook quickly, well I thought it would be best if I just fixed it." Anakin wiped the grease onto his already soiled tunics and stood slowly as he explained his motives._

 _Obi-Wan found a smile was threatening to pull at his lips, Anakin was always looking for things to fix why was it such a surprise he had now turned to their own apartment's furnishings. He abruptly remembered the warning in the force and started to move towards the taken apart cooker, what could have made him think there was danger here?_

 _"Having trouble with it?" He queried whilst looking down at the strewn parts._

 _"I don't think some it's compatible with the parts I found in the hanger bay," Anakin mumbled, disappointed he had been defeated by a machine._

 _Obi-Wan started to chuckle before the flare in the force was back stronger than ever, following the warning to get the blazes out of there, he grabbed Anakin who squeaked in response and dove away from the oven. It wasn't a moment too soon as less than a second later the whole thing exploded in a ball of flames, shrapnel and flaming debris scattered the apartment at alarming rates forcing Obi-Wan to quickly attempt to shield their bodies. He wasn't quite quick enough for a few smaller pieces of burning shrapnel which painfully ripped through his skin over various parts of his body._

 _Thankfully the automatic sprinklers kicked in which doused most of the flames which had started to grow out of control, Obi-Wan groaned slightly as he lifted himself off of Anakin and sat up to survey the damage. The apartment was a mess, the kitchen blackened and the whole place thick with smoke. An ear-piercing alarm rang out through the area and it wasn't long before he could feel fellow Jedi converge on their position having felt the disturbance in the force._

 _Obi-Wan glanced down to his Padawan, who other than looking completely shell-shocked and grimy appeared to be unharmed, thank the force. Anakin seemed to notice his scrutiny as he meekly turned his gaze to Obi-Wan's pleading eyes begging for mercy. Obi-Wan's gaze narrowed as he glared down at the troublesome Padawan, why was it always him?_

 _"Oops," the boy squeaked, a grin creeping onto his face._

 _Obi-Wan shook his head slowly before looking down at his own appearance and suddenly he too was stifling laughter. His once pristine clothes were singed all over the place not to mention blackened, the sting of the tiny wounds had since worn off but he knew a trip to the med-bay for the both of them was in their immediate future. The little shards would have to be removed so his skin didn't get infected. He glanced back at Anakin who was now grinning manically, unable to hold onto the seriousness of the situation anymore._

 _It turns out neither could as Obi-Wan found himself joining in his Padawan's giggling, so that was how the rescuing Jedi found them. Obi-Wan and his apprentice laughing their heads off sat in the middle of what looked like a bomb site, they were quickly whisked off to the med-bay to check for head injuries as their actions were not what was to be expected in a sane person._

Obi-Wan was brought out of his reminiscing of simpler times when he shifted a little too quickly and a sharp pain tore through his thigh, Ventress certainly had done a number on him, he gritted his teeth to try and stop the moan that was trying to escape it was in vain anyway as of course his Padawan noticed the action.

"Does it hurt, Master? I can try again with the crystals." His Padawan finished eagerly going to grab for the healing instruments again.

Obi-Wan gently grasped his arms before the boy could pick them up, he was absolutely exhausted from his attempts already, there was no way Obi-Wan was going to let him burn himself out completely over this. He needed Anakin at his full strength if he was going to get the boy away from Dooku.

"Nothing I can't handle, Anakin." The boy's look told Obi-Wan he wasn't convinced, he couldn't help but grin at his Padawan's actions. "Truly, Padawan, you must conserve your energy."

Anakin still did not look convinced but let Obi-Wan steer his reach from the crystals, he looked longingly at the door and puzzlingly went to stand by the force field. Obi-Wan's brows furrowed, _did Anakin sense something he could not?_ Obi-Wan accepted that whatever Anakin was doing was at least keeping his mind busy, he could still sense his Padawan's hesitance to bring up what was screaming out from the boy's mind. Obi-Wan wished he wouldn't he wanted to spare Anakin's feelings as much as he could, the boy did not deserve his wrath even if it was just an act his Padawan would still be hurt.

Obi-Wan lay his head back against the cool metal floor, feeling the slight vibrations reaching his body he determined they were in hyperspace yet again. _Where in the blazes are we going?_ Perhaps Dooku was keeping them moving to hide their presence, the council must have caught onto their disappearance by now. Obi-Wan knew the standard protocol, another Jedi team would be sent out to investigate, he didn't really hold out too much hope of them finding he and Anakin. Dooku seemed to have this whole thing planned out well, _too well._

He thought back to his current dilemma, the only sensible choice set before him was to make Dooku believe he was going to turn, become his apprentice. Only then would the Count lead him right to the Sith Lord, Qui-Gon was right about one thing the force seemed to be showing this path to Obi-Wan. The only issue with the plan, _well except its kriffing mad_ , was the fact that this wasn't the Jedi way, lying and deceiving.

As Obi-Wan reached out with the force for guidance the only thing he could sense was darkness, it wasn't Dooku or Ventress, no this forewarning was something bigger, something that stretched over the entire galaxy like a plague. He had felt ominous warnings recently in visions but nothing like this, Obi-Wan didn't even need to go looking. The darkness was descending to swallow them all and it frightened him, in all his years he had never felt anything as powerful or destructive in the force before. The shadow was falling and it was falling fast, the confrontation with the blackness was going to come sooner rather than later.

With that deadly deduction Obi-Wan made up his mind without thought of what the Council would say, _Qui-Gon will be pleased._ He felt a rush of warmth and affection which seemed to come from the force itself and smiled as he realised it was his Master's affirmative. Obi-Wan was going to listen to the force to guide his actions, he would play Dooku's game with his own rules. He strove to spend the remaining time preparing himself for the task ahead, he was not a fool this would not be easy. Dooku was no idiot, blinded by power yes but not to be trifled with.

Obi-Wan glanced over at Anakin thoughtfully who seemed to be meditating _with a wall,_ what in the blazes was his Padawan up to? His apprentice had been so strong already surpassing all of his hopes and living up to his destiny easily, it was down to Obi-Wan to ensure the boy got out of here safely and he was damned if he would let this darkness take him. _I will not fail him, I'm ready for Dooku and his mind games. Time to play by my rules…_

* * *

All 12 council members were present when the communication was picked up from the Jedi investigative team assigned to Master Kenobi and his Padawan's disappearance, Mace Windu observed as the hologram played in the center of the room and the two speakers stepped into view.

The two sent on the assignment were Jedi Knight Siri Tachi and her new Padawan Ferlus Olin, the council were already watching Ferlus' progress with interest he was expected to make a great Jedi Knight one day. The boy was always top of his classes and acted extremely mature for his age, he was certainly one to watch indeed.

"Masters." Siri greeted them all with a bow, seemingly a little out of breath and from what Mace could ascertain the pair had most likely just been involved in a battle of sorts. Both Jedi's tunics were singed in places and their faces looked flushed as well as the signs of disorganised hair lead Mace to believe they had certainly found a confrontation of sorts.

"Found something have you?"

"Yes, Master Yoda." Siri nodded gravely before continuing. "Once we reached the Sentor's ship we found evidence of an immense battle, it looked as though it was attacked by pirate's. The Senator and his family were locked away safely and have been rescued, I'm afraid there were no other survivors aboard. Most of the men appeared to have been slaughtered."

Siri's gaze dropped further as she retold the grizzly tale, Mace could tell from the slight revulsion in the young Knight's eyes that the scene must have been brutal indeed. Worryingly she had not mentioned Kenobi yet, the anxiousness he could pick up from her did not sit well with him at all. It was known that Siri had a certain weakness when it came to Obi-Wan, they had almost risked it all years previously and Mace knew from their interactions since that the pair still had close feelings for one another even if they did not show them outwardly.

After a brief pause to compose herself Siri started up again. "We looked at the security footage and identified one of the attackers to be a Captain going by the name Skepaf, he is wanted in a few systems around here so it didn't take long to get a match. He and his men took Obi-Wan and Anakin, they used the Padawan to ensure Obi-Wan's compliance. I'm sending you the footage now." Siri's unwavering tone faltered slightly as she mentioned Obi-Wan, Mace made a mental note to make sure those two were watched in the future, attachment was a very perilous path for a Jedi.

The hologram flickered slightly as the security footage replaced the two Jedi, it sped through at a rather fast pace until the moment Siri had been discussing was reached. Of course Mace still saw everything that had been skipped through, a very callous attack indeed, poor Kenobi didn't stand a chance against so many. The footage closed in on one room which was filled with pirate's, Mace witnessed Padawan Skywalker racing into the room only to be smacked over the head and overwhelmed by the sheer amount of them. Next to enter was Obi-Wan, Mace was impressed with the young Knight's outward display of calmness over his grave situation, with a Padawan in the hands of the enemy all bets were off. Mace knew for a fact that if that were Qui-Gon standing there whilst Obi-Wan bled then the never-ruffled Jedi Master would have had trouble containing his emotions.

The man in question waltzed into the room, Mace thought he recognised him and it was more than possible that he had seen his picture being circulated on the holo net somewhere. The rest of the video wasn't a pleasant watch, Siri seemed to speed up the footage again not wanting to witness the savage beating of Obi-Wan once more. Mace didn't blame her, it was something he did not wish to observe, he had known Obi-Wan since he was a small boy what with him being Qui-Gon's apprentice and all. Mace had always had a soft spot for Kenobi, he had more than once reeled his Master in from his usual blatant defiance of council orders, they definitely did make an interesting pairing. The Master who never listened to the council and the Padawan who was the biggest stickler for the rules Mace had seen in quite some time. Seeing him in this state brought up some protective feelings in him which were neither welcome or helpful here, so Mace proceeded to release them into the force and focus back on the task at hand.

As the security footage came to an end, Siri's form flickered back on to continue speaking. "We proceeded to track Captain Skepaf and after doing some digging managed to locate his ship, we are currently aboard and all the pirates have been neutralised or are in custody. We found the body of the Captain, he was killed by a light saber."

Shock rippled round the room and a few gasps were heard as Siri revealed the shocking truth, _What did that mean? Did Obi-Wan and Anakin escape?_ Mace's hopes were dashed as Siri continued with the mission report.

"Master Kenobi was very badly injured on board he was continually beaten and stabbed, when we were reviewing some of the security tapes we found the events, … _disturbing_."

From Siri's reaction Mace surmised that the tapes must have been far worse to what they just witnessed, she wasn't even attempting to hide her displeasure anymore. Mace stopped his mind in its tracks, refusing to judge her reaction when he had not seen what she had, who was to say he wouldn't have reacted to Obi-Wan's merciless beating in the same way. Once Siri had composed herself she continued, determined to finish the briefing and deliver all the information they had found, Mace had to admit she had done exceedingly well so far.

"After questioning the crew we found that Obi-Wan and Anakin had been passed on to someone else, none of the crew knew his name but I have found some footage on the Captain's computer which may bare same light on the situation."

Once again the hologram flickered into a new image, it seemed to be a recording of a communication. Mace couldn't believe his eyes, and by the outraged gasps from everyone in the room it seemed he wasn't the only one. _That was ex-Jedi Master Dooku…_

Murmurings and chatting started in earnest as the baritone voice of their ex-colleague filtered through the chambers, revealing a horrible truth as he confirmed his purpose, he wanted Kenobi and Skywalker. _Traitor._ Angry emotions started to taint the force around them as the hard truths sunk in, this was far worse than any of them could have imagined, why would Dooku do this? To his Padawan's own Padawan no less…

Several questions then went flying around the council chambers, everyone trying to calm their frazzled emotions over the abuse of trust.

'How could he turn against us?'

'Did he kill the Captain?'

'Does he think he's going to get away with this?'

'How long has he been planning this?'

Mace abruptly felt a calming influence reach his hazed mind, he glanced to the seat next to him to notice Master Yoda's attempts at calming the tensions in the room. A rogue Jedi did not sit well with any of them, especially one with Dooku's skill and wealth, this was a dangerous situation.

"Matter these questions do not."

The room fell silent as Master Yoda's serene voice broke through the tension, tone commanding complete attention and no room for argument. As the Jedi Master stared at the now frozen still frame of Dooku, Mace thought he caught a faint glimmer of regret before it was expertly quashed, Dooku was Yoda's Padawan once this would be the biggest betrayal, to him.

"For Obi-Wan and Skywalker's sake, find Dooku we must." Yoda looked away from the image and into each council member's eyes as he delivered the grave message, expressing the seriousness of the situation, all of the council nodded head's in agreement.

Mace realised this must have been what Master Yoda was sensing earlier, Yoda picked up his thoughts easily and with a sad shake of his head Mace realised this wasn't the end of it. Whatever darkness lay in the future was just beginning to un-swirl, it was not until now that Mace Windu felt the great weight of the future upon his shoulders just as Yoda must do every day. They were heading into dark territory, may the force help them all…

* * *

 **A/N - That's all for that segment, as always the next chapter should be up in a week or so!**

 **Until next time...**


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N - Managed to keep on schedule this week but exams are looming so the next chapter may take a little longer than a week! Thank you for the continued support it is much appreciated!**

 **MaryLeboneFirst - Thank you for the review! very kind words and it really brought a smile to my face :D I'm happy you found my fanfiction too!**

 **LongLive234 - Your continued support is much appreciated, I thrive on feedback and interest so thanks for taking the time to review again :) That's very kind of you, I hope you enjoy this next instalment!**

 **They Know - I know... Council will be popping up a little bit more now they have caught onto whats happening to our heroes**

 **Mercury's Shadow - Thank you for the review each one is very much appreciated and always helps to lift my spirits! Hope you enjoy this one as well :)**

* * *

Anakin Skywalker was worried, more than that he was _disturbed_. His Master's distant attitude had distressed the Padawan immeasurably, Anakin was not blind he had seen what Obi-Wan was doing when he was fighting Dooku, he had felt brief flashes of immense rage from the Jedi just a short time ago. Obi-Wan was losing control. The fact frightened Anakin more than anything Dooku or Ventress could do to him, the man he had looked up to, turned to when he could no longer keep control of his emotions was tragically succumbing to his own.

Anakin knew what a compassionate and gentle man his Master could be, always caring and selfless, to watch what was unfolding slowly was nothing short of heart-breaking. Anakin knew his duty, he had to get Obi-Wan away from these dark people pronto. It was evident Dooku was playing with his emotions and memories, Anakin shivered at his imaginings of what his Master had been through already. The thought of his Master's suffering and brutal torture actually made tremors run through the Padawan's body which in turn made his arms and hands tremble. _I will not let the thoughts anger me, one of us has to stay balanced for the other…_

He felt a great burden weigh against his shoulders, for a first mission this had been nothing short of disastrous. Already he and Obi-Wan had been thrown into situations that most Master's had never encountered, not to mention the continual battle with darkness which was now taking its toll on Anakin's Master. If Obi-Wan could not be their anchor anymore then Anakin would have to be, he had already realised his relationship with his Master was something he did not want to lose, _not ever._ If that meant he had to go up against Dooku himself then so be it, Anakin Skywalker would rather die than watch the man he had grown to love like a father fall to the dark side, to become a vile creature like their captors.

Of course he kept all of these thoughts heavily shielded from the man in question, Obi-Wan would most likely reprimand him for thinking such things, already lost in his unbelievable transition to darkness. Anakin could feel his Master's gaze burning into his back as he continued to work on manipulating the circuits, hoping that he would be able to at least short circuit or alter the flow of one which would result in the force field sizzling out. He imagined Obi-Wan thought he was sulking or something of the kind, what he was doing would look rather unusual to the outside eye he admitted to himself.

Anakin was unsure of just how long he was delved within the force's currents, following pathways and electrical currents but it must have been a considerable amount of time as inevitably a distraction from the physical world brought him back to the present moment. It just turned out that said distraction was the return of Dooku himself, Anakin was prepared to listen out for the Count's return ever since the man had billowed out of the cell leaving Obi-Wan in his care.

He stepped back to the center of the cell, standing protectively in front of a slowly rising Obi-Wan. Anakin heard his Master groan and wince as he attempted to rise off of the floor, to no avail. _Stay down, Master… You'll only hurt yourself,_ he projected as of course Obi-Wan defiantly continued to try. He was rewarded with a scoffing sound however when his Master caught onto his thoughts, it seemed Obi-Wan was not impressed with his Padawan telling him to lay down. _Tough._

The pair didn't have to wait long before Dooku waved away the force field and strolled into the cell, flanked by a handful of guards in his wake. The Count halted a few meters from the pair, taking note of Anakin's protective stance and the fact he was shielding Obi-Wan with his own body.

"I won't let you hurt him again."

The Count's gaze narrowed dangerously as Anakin's conviction slammed into him with full force, he was not pleased at all with the Padawan's insolence and continued to glare at Anakin as if he was nothing more than something under his boots. Dooku raised an arm to force push Anakin out of the way, like he had done so many times before.

This time however Anakin was prepared, he felt himself channel the force as he never had before so when the attack reached his body the Padawan simply lifted an arm and knocked the attempted force push away, as if he were swatting a pesky insect out of his face. Anakin didn't know how he accomplished it, only that he was listening and following the force's urges. He heard Obi-Wan gasp behind him as he remained unharmed, Dooku tilted his head in what appeared to be an expression of admiration, irritation and rage all at the same time. _This was most unexpected…_ The thoughts of all three force user's were in tune as Anakin did not back down, did not move a muscle from where he stood, protecting his Master from evil itself.

"Brave of you, boy…" Dooku drawled, smirk tugging at his lips.

Anakin growled at the Count's attempt of throwing him off using demeaning words, it was true he was a boy but _this_ boy had just shocked the seemingly unshakeable Dooku. The Padawan prepared for what might be his last stand, sinking deeper and deeper into the force and feeling the currents empower every cell in his body. His stance was not lost on any man in the room, the guards held up their rifles, Obi-Wan's worry hit him with full force and Dooku adorned a smirk at the turn of events. Anakin could feel the power in the room increase to almost immeasurable heights, dark and light alike dancing at the edges of one another hissing and spitting, only being held back barely by the two force user's who had yet to harness the raw power for themselves.

The force was in turmoil, ready to crack and explode outwards under the pressure of the two almighty opposing forces. Anakin had never felt anything quite like it, the contrast was _phenomenal_ , unimaginable really. Both opponents were on the edge of oblivion, ready to topple into the depths of the force itself when the other made their first move.

"Anakin, stop."

The command broke through his induced haze as effective as a Saber sliced through air. Anakin regrettably let the force slip from his grasp as he registered what his Master had ordered him to do, his natural instinct to obey his Master without question was quashed to some degree by the events of the previous hours so even though he halted he did not do so without question.

"But, Master…"

Obi-Wan interrupted him before he could get far with his protests or even attempt to sway his Master's mind back to seeing sense.

"That is a direct order, Padawan." Obi-Wan's tone was strict and firm, no room for question over the order.

Anakin noted Dooku's pleasure over Obi-Wan's actions, he scowled as the Count smirked in his triumph. If Anakin was concerned by his Master's actions previously he was now worried stiff and in complete dismay over the most recent turn of events, he whipped round to stare down at Obi-Wan incredulously not even attempting to hide his turbulent feelings over the Jedi's questionable actions. Obi-Wan held his gaze defiantly, brow rising in apprehension of Anakin's upcoming rebuke, which thanks to Dooku's timely interruption never came to fruition.

"You should listen to your Master, boy, he understands the bigger picture."

Anakin would have defied any one of Obi-Wan's orders then and there to have the satisfaction of wiping the smug smile off of Dooku's face, he strove to relinquish his anger however remembering the importance of being the anchor what with Obi-Wan being so conflicted.

The guards moved over to Anakin and roughly shoved him out of the way to land in a heap on the floor, he hissed as the impact with the unforgiving ground jarred his still raw saber wound. They proceeded to haul Obi-Wan to his feet ignoring the grunts of agony emanating from the Jedi Knight and only slowing their actions when Dooku admonished further hurting Obi-Wan. When his Master got his breathing back under control from the sudden movement he turned to face the still downed Padawan, voice uncharacteristically void of emotion.

"Don't cause trouble, Anakin I will be back soon, Dooku and I have much to discuss."

So with that Obi-Wan was essentially carried out of the room, recently healed limbs unused for such a prolonged period of time not responding to neural impulses satisfactorily just yet. Dooku's grin made him look the most happy Anakin had seen since meeting the man, he was simply ecstatic over Obi-Wan's cold actions and had most definitely sensed the conflicted emotions from his Master. The Count led the precession back out of the cell, before raising his hand once more to entomb Anakin in solitude.

Anakin stared at Obi-Wan's retreating form, tears welling in his eyes over the man he was becoming, the coldness in his actions. His Master glanced backwards to focus on his young charge and a most peculiar expression covered his features for a fleeting moment, only for a split second but Anakin caught it anyway, immense _regret._

* * *

Obi-Wan felt disgusted with himself, Anakin, _his Padawan,_ had shown him nothing but loyalty and devotion and what had he repaid it with? _Betrayal._ That was harder than he could have ever imagined, his heart broke as the hurtful words tumbled out of his mouth. He almost succumbed to calling the whole thing off when Anakin had spun round to face him, shocked and mortified over the coldness his Master was showing him, only the consequences of doing so were too great, too consequential to the entire galaxy. So Obi-Wan remained stony and seemingly angry at his Padawan, enforcing the boy's beliefs of his Master's fall to the dark side. It was an awful thing to do Obi-Wan knew that, this was killing him.

Obi-Wan had felt some of Anakin's thoughts on the matter before Dooku had even strolled in, the boy was so worried about him that his usually strong shielding collapsed under the strain of the anxiety. Obi-Wan did not blame him, what with his questionable actions and apparent siding with Dooku it was a worrying thing to deal with. His heart swelled as Anakin strove to save Obi-Wan from himself, gratitude over the compassion and loyalty of his Padawan nearly forcing him to tears. The boy had stood, what he was prepared to be his final stand, over Obi-Wan's broken body willing to give his life if necessary to stop Dooku from corrupting Obi-Wan further. The guilt he felt ordering Anakin aside coldly was insurmountable, the only thing keeping him on track was his own conviction to protect the boy. He only hoped Anakin would understand one day…

Obi-Wan shut down the latest thought process as Dooku seemed to be interested with him again, he had to be very careful with ailing thoughts around the Count if this plan was going to succeed. Their procession came to a stop in front of a sparse room, the only furniture to be seen was a table and few chairs. He was marched into said room, sat none too gently on one of the chairs and arms cuffed in front of him before the guards left. He gasped as the sudden movement jarred all of his still healing wounds and the manacles chafed at his already red and raw wrists.

Dooku sat across from him in the other chair, filling two glasses with what seemed to be water before sliding one over to Obi-Wan with a frivolous use of the force. Obi-Wan drank slowly at first, not remembering the last time he had been given water, it soothed his still raw from screaming throat. The Jedi only stopped as the guilt over Anakin not having this comfort played through his mind, he set the glass back down on the table feigning that he had already taken his fill. The fact that he wasn't chained from the ceiling this time certainly was a positive indicator that perhaps Dooku was falling for his act, he would have to be sure to keep up the pretence.

"I apologise for Ventress' actions she went too far, she has little control…"

Obi-Wan snorted at the all but obvious statement, _little control_ that was the biggest understatement if the year!

"You don't say," he retorted, voice laced with sarcasm.

"I imagine you're not too pleased with her…"

"Not pleased is a mild way of putting it," Obi-Wan replied voice filled with venom, allowing his eyes to darken as he spoke the words.

Dooku noted the abrupt change in tone, revelling in Obi-Wan's seeming loss of control. Obi-Wan didn't want to overplay the change in his emotions, he had to play the part well enough to fool Dooku but not too much to tip the Count off to his true motives. The Count observed the Knight with a critical gaze, mind probing the edges of Obi-Wan's with familiar prying dark tendrils. Obi-Wan in turn projected an enormous amount of rage at the thought of the Witch, alongside with beliefs in at least parts of Dooku's earlier ravings over the corruption in the republic and that something needs to be done about it. He even relented in his firm conviction of the Jedi being the answer to the Sith, well on the surface anyway, playing into Dooku's biggest hopes for the Knight.

"Something's changed within you, I feel it."

Obi-Wan allowed his gaze to fall, emotion draining from his features as he prepared himself for the answer. It was working Dooku was falling for his guise, for his projected fake feelings. Obi-Wan knew his answer now would serve as a tipping point, Dooku was watching intently picking up on any minuscule change in him. He took a long drawn out breath and glanced upwards to meet the Count's gaze, unflinching in the scrutiny he was under.

"Yes." The tone was cold, void of any emotion. Obi-Wan let his eyes glaze over completely with darkness, drawing on memories to complete the image and fully let his once brilliant blue eyes cloud behind the swirling blackness.

Dooku's smile widened at the answer, completely fooled by Obi-Wan's show. Obi-Wan could only deceive him so well because it wasn't long ago that he was _this,_ this despicable disgusting thing he was emulating. The Count looked like he was going to question further or even add to the conversation before a message interrupted any line of thought that was running through either of their minds.

"Sir, we have an urgent message for you on the bridge."

Dooku drew in a deep breath, clearly not happy over the interruption and attempting incredibly hard to keep his growing rage under control. After answering the comm with an affirmative Count Dooku stood and strolled swiftly to the exit, cape swirling ominously in his wake. He turned back to Obi-Wan just before leaving the room, barely containing his fury over being interrupted.

"I will be back, Obi-Wan, help yourself to more water."

So with a final flick of his wrist the door locked behind him leaving Obi-Wan to his own devices, the Jedi let out a deep breath and held his head in his hands. That was certainly draining, having to keep up that much of a pretence around the dark sider. The memories of his fight with Qui-Gon and almost fall to the dark side swirled perilously in his mind after Obi-Wan had to draw his hate from somewhere, he strove to center himself once more now that Dooku was no longer here. At least the Count seemed to be playing into his hands, Qui-Gon was right he was so engrossed in the idea of Obi-Wan becoming his apprentice, that the man was blind to the deception.

He helped himself to more of the water and sipped slowly, intent on slipping into as much of the force as he could touch whilst he had this short reprieve. He would have to prepare for when Dooku came back. Unbeknown to Obi-Wan he already had somebody watching him, picking up on his stray thoughts in the force, and she was not overly appreciative of the meddlesome Jedi at all…

* * *

Ventress watched undetected as Dooku and Kenobi conversed, the Knight looked in far better shape than when she'd left him. Her Master must have spent a lot of energy healing him, expended precious energy healing the _enemy._ Why could he not see so clearly what she could? Obi-Wan was playing him, even now she could identify the Jedi's deception she could _feel_ what her Master obviously could not. Kenobi had no intention of joining them, he wanted Dooku dead along with her, an end to the Sith. The problem was her Master was so intent on Kenobi joining them that he was blind to the act. She had to admit the young Knight was putting on quite a show for her Master, the projected rage was obviously enough to have him fooled. _Not her._

It didn't take long to set up an emergency communication that Dooku would be forced to leave the room to attend, Ventress wanted some _one on one_ time with Kenobi, to settle this once and for all…

Ventress removed her saber hilts from her side, glancing down at them and realising that would be too clean, his agony over too soon. She wanted this to be up close and personal, wanted Kenobi to _feel_ every cut, every slash.

She observed her Master stroll from the room, locking the door behind him. When Ventress no longer felt his force presence lingering close did she make her move, heading out of her hiding spot and towards the entrance to Kenobi's location. She could feel the Jedi Knight release some of his blocks now that Dooku was gone, and reveled in the knowledge that she was correct. He had no intention of joining Dooku in the dark side, he was simply tricking her Master, playing him for a fool. Now Ventress would give the Jedi what he deserved, she would make him _beg_ for his life on his knees. She would show her Master what filth this Jedi was, what a disgrace he was. She would _break_ Kenobi, even if it was the last thing she ever did.

* * *

Obi-Wan's thoughts were abruptly halted as he felt the return of darkness, it was just outside of his door. The revelation stunned Obi-Wan, he hadn't felt anything until now, until it was almost too late. Closer inspection revealed this wasn't Dooku, his suspicions confirmed when the door to his cell swished open and none other than Ventress sauntered in.

"Missed me, my dear?"

Obi-Wan shot to his feet whilst wincing slightly at the sudden movement, the chair he had been sat on toppled over to land with a clang which reverberated around the room like an echo. Ventress looked just as she always did, enraged and smirking over the success of unsettling him. He was no fool, her intentions were very clear to him. She knew his secret, she intended to _end_ him.

"How nice of you to drop in and see me, Ventress." He attempted to keep his voice steady, failing somewhat as the fear he was feeling crept in.

She in turn smiled sweetly back at him, like she had done when she was revelling in his torture earlier. Ventress was delighted in how she affected the Jedi Knight, Obi-Wan saw her as an extremely dangerous and unpredictable foe of course he was anxious, his heightened heart rate was another indicator to the fact.

Ventress started forwards whilst fingering the hilt of her knife strapped at her side, Obi-Wan's gaze fell to it and found his breath hitch in his throat for a second. He already had many scars because of her actions with that _thing,_ he did not want more. Obi-Wan retreated slowly, at the same pace as she was moving forward, intent on putting the table between them and give himself a fighting chance on holding her off. Her grin only widened at his actions, following him at a slightly quicker pace with intentions on closing the distance.

Of course Obi-Wan couldn't move as fast as he would like to, what with his still injured leg and various wounds courtesy of Ventress. If he could only hold out until Dooku came back from his errand, it was then that Obi-Wan twigged it must have been Ventress' doing. They kept their eyes locked on one another as the distance was closed, Obi-Wan looking out for any aggressive opening moves from the Witch, her knife still sheathed at her side for the moment.

"I thought you knew I liked your company, Obi-Wan… I even left you something to remember me by," she purred whilst reaching out to finger the remnants of the saber mark she had branded him with, Obi-Wan tried to back away further but was impeded by his injuries once more.

She had no trouble keeping up with him in the slightest, the caressing soon turned into a painful grip which caused Obi-Wan to bat away her touch forcibly, growling slightly and stepping back before she could grab at him again. They both stood still now that they were separated, Ventress thoughtfully caressing her knife hilt once more whilst Obi-Wan attempted to take some pressure off of his wounded leg.

"I didn't know you cared…"

Obi-Wan's retort was interrupted as a vehement force push slammed into his chest knocking all of the air from his lungs, he grunted as he slammed backwards into the table and remaining furniture sending everything flying in all directions. He had been unprepared for the vicious attack, thinking she would choose a physical opening move.

"No need for that with me, Kenobi… The sarcasm, always your shield," she cackled as he slammed into the table and struggled to rise, pleased with once again seeing how _weak_ the Jedi was.

Obi-Wan did not even dignify that with a response, anything he said would only enrage Ventress further, he was sure of that. He slowly picked himself up from the floor, stumbling with his leg which he could feel was bleeding once more. Breathing heavily against the agony raging through his bones Obi-Wan started to back away once more as Ventress started forward again.

"You forget I know you, I've seen you… I feel your fear…" She closed the distance with every word, easily catching up with the flailing Knight.

She broke the suspense first, lunging for his middle and essentially barreling him into the wall situated behind him. Obi-Wan cried out as the impact rattled his injuries, raised his still shackled arms and attempted to strike out at the Witch who hadn't released her hold on him. She was too fast for his attack as before his fist impacted with her face she had backed out of range which caused Obi-Wan to stagger forward. Before he could even figure out his next defence some part of Obi-Wan's brain registered a boot hurtling towards his face, in a staggering roundhouse kick Ventress' boot collided with his jaw with such force that he went flying to sprawl on the floor meters away.

Obi-Wan yelled out as his leg was crushed under him once more, quickly rolling to avoid a boot to his head, the force warning him just in time. He ignored his other injuries as best he could when he rose unsteadily to his feet, this was a fight for survival. Obi-Wan spit out what appeared to be a loose tooth along with a fair amount of blood and prepared himself once more for an attack.

This time Ventress went straight for the punches, Obi-Wan managed to bring his arms up to block a few of the attacks and even managed to land a few of his own before he found himself on the floor again, succumbing to the deadly assault on his person by the Witch. He gasped as his chest seemed to constrict, not allowing him to take in enough oxygen to push away the blackness that was ebbing on the edge of his vision.

Ventress circled his kneeling position, wicked glint in her eyes over his submissive state. Obi-Wan went to rise once more only to be thwarted by a punch to his face which sent him hurtling back to the unforgiving ground. He couldn't help but allow a yell escape his raw throat on the impact, soon Ventress was on top of him knife in her grip. She smirked once more at his position before plunging the knife into his good leg, his agonising scream reverberated thought the small room as the knife sliced through the muscle. She pulled out the knife swiftly and raised it for another stabbing before he brought up his knees and delivered an almighty kick to her chest.

Ventress went sailing through the air as the kick connected, Obi-Wan drawing power on the force to push her as far away from him as he could. She sprawled out on the ground on the other side, rage building over the turn of events. Obi-Wan agonisingly attempted to rise, clutching the fresh wound in his leg, fingers already slick from the blood pouring out. If this bleeding wasn't stopped soon… He had to keep her occupied, try anything to stall the inevitable. If only to give Dooku enough time to realise something was wrong, what he had to do was too important to be ruined by Ventress, people were relying on him.

"The comm for Dooku was your work, he will be back soon though," he rasped out, struggling still to remain on his feet whilst warily watching Ventress' movements.

Ventress in turn started to circle his broken form once more, grin widening at the sight of _his_ blood adorning her knife, it was dripping from the dastardly weapon.

"Always observant… I wouldn't count on a rescue from him, Obi-Wan dear."

She attacked again, slashing with the knife full force this time. Obi-Wan danced out of the way as swiftly as he could, hissing at every movement. He held up his arms in an attempt to grab her arms or at least defend himself from the knife. She managed many slices on both arms before she lunged for another at his chest, realising he could not move away fast enough Obi-Wan force pushed her with as much strength as he could muster. The move left Obi-Wan reeling, staggering back himself to grip onto the wall for support, that defence has expended most if not all of his energy.

"Why are you doing this?" He wheezed whilst struggling for breath, vision turning hazy from the blood loss.

She seemed to still at the question, head tilting slightly and facial expression reeking of barely suppressed anger and disgust, the answer it seemed was obvious to her. _Because she could…_

"I know what you're doing, with him. He doesn't see through you, but I do," she finally spat venomously.

Ventress picked herself up from the floor once more, disappointed that her last attack was thwarted at the last second. She stalked forward whilst observing Obi-Wan's near collapsing state. He was nearly spent and she knew it.

"I know your secret, Obi-Wan, I know you're playing him for a fool. You want us both dead!"

Her next onslaught was powered by her anger towards the Knight, barbarically and mercilessly striking out with fists and feet at every angle of Obi-Wan that she could reach. With his wounds and arms restricted there wasn't much of a defence that Obi-Wan could attempt, he barely managed to block some of the blows and just about managed to scamper away from the wall fast enough before a fist landed where his head had been just moments ago. Ventress attempted a new tactic and raised her knife overhead aiming at his head, Obi-Wan managed to raise his arms to grab hers and halt the knife's original trajectory.

He glared into her hate filled eyes as she continually pressed downwards, hoping to defeat his dwindling strength, Obi-Wan could feel it too. This was the last stand he could make, his muscles and limbs crying out for a reprieve. He spied a wicked glint in her gaze before her knee came crashing into his gut with substantial force, he released the grip on her arms as he went crashing down to his knees, doubling over in attempt to breathe in oxygen. He could sense her circling his beaten form, drawing out the inevitable for pure pleasure. He managed to raise his head and body to be upright only to witness the hilt of her knife come sailing towards his face.

Obi-Wan cried out in misery as he impacted with the floor once more, vision ebbing at the edges, unconsciousness calling out to him. He was brought back to the here and now by a series of vicious kicks aimed at his midriff, he naturally attempted to protect his chest and curled up on himself. Distantly they both heard snaps and cracks as the merciless assault continued. Obi-Wan was just about ready to let go when suddenly the onslaught ceased, he felt himself gasping for air to fill his already oxygen starved lungs.

An invisible force clenched around his throat and he felt himself being picked up from the floor, his hands clasped to his throat as he struggled with the pressure Ventress was exerting. She could kill him here and now, and they both knew it.

"This is the true _power_ of the dark side, Obi-Wan."

Just when he thought it was all over the pressure was released, his body crumpled back to the floor in a heap as the force no longer held him upright. He rasped and wheezed as precious air was allowed back into his body once more, screaming outright as his wounds were jarred on the unforgiving impact. He felt another force grasp him as Obi-Wan found himself rolled onto his back, Ventress' form towering above him.

Without another warning she straddled his broken and failing body, producing her knife to rest in front of his face for a few moments. He absently observed as her knife moved downwards before resting just above his chest, Ventress moved closer so her face was just a fingers width away from his. Her sadistic gaze met his and held it before she plunged the knife into his body, never once breaking her gaze with his own. Obi-Wan didn't have the energy to scream anymore, nothing more than a groan escaping his bloodied lips as the blade pierced through skin agonisingly slowly.

"I want my face to be the last thing you ever see, Obi-Wan Kenobi, the woman who _beat_ you," she seductively whispered into his ear, eyes alight with pleasure.

Ventress continued to watch as the light started to leave Obi-Wan's eyes, they both knew this was it, _the end_. Obi-Wan could absently feel the blood still pooling around him, soaking his tunics, his hair. Shock was almost certainly setting in as funnily enough he couldn't even feel the knife anymore which was still protruding from his chest.

"The dark will _never_ extinguish the light…" He muttered, intent on letting her know she did not break him. She never would.

Her face twisted in venomous anger at his defiance, his last stand. He was hers to _break_ yet here he was, still defying her. She twisted the knife once more, maliciously taking her rage out on the Knight. Obi-Wan groaned at the sudden movement before he started to fall into the darkness that had been calling out to him, sorrow and regret over unfinished business. It would be so easy just to succumb to the calling, let go of all of this pain. _Anakin._ He couldn't give up, not whilst his Padawan was still with these monsters, Obi-Wan battled for all he was worth to stay conscious as he sensed the man he had been waiting for approaching. He had to stay alive, too many people were counting on him…

Count Dooku stalked towards the bridge swiftly, the interruption was a grave annoyance, an unwanted one at that. The sooner he dealt with the newest hiccup the faster he could get back to his enlightening conversation with Kenobi. The Knight's change in conscience and beliefs were exactly what Dooku wanted, what he _needed._

He allowed a slight smile to quirk at his lips as the thought passed through his mind, the image of Obi-Wan by his side, _his apprentice_. The rift between Kenobi and Skywalker was also going as planned, trust issues rearing their ugly head every time the two were placed in the same vicinity. Dooku had been correct about Qui-Gon, those memories were key. They held so much negative emotion, so much anger and rage that Kenobi could draw from, and he had. He felt a slight feeling of guilt over the misuse of his old Padawan's relationship with Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon had meant well he just handled it all wrong. Dooku ruthlessly quashed the unbecoming weakness before it could come to full fruition, it was all for the greater good, even if the Jedi didn't see it yet Sidious was the worst option for the galaxy.

Skywalker's reaction in the cell had been a surprising one, such loyalty for his Master that the boy was prepared to die to stop his fall to darkness. Tragically for the young apprentice it was already too late, Dooku had seen the seeds of darkness growing inside Obi-Wan and they were starting to take hold, for good. The boy was of little importance now, eventually he would be a perfect victim for Obi-Wan to destroy, his death would serve as Kenobi's final fall into darkness. Their once steady and powerful bond would lay in tatters at Obi-Wan's feet, severed brutally by Kenobi's rage itself. Dooku foresaw it, the moment of Obi-Wan's rise to power.

His thoughts were interrupted by a warning in the force itself, it was a disturbance even if it had only appeared in a flash for a few seconds. Dooku stopped right in his tracks and proceeded to delve into the currents themselves, seeking out any trace of the previous disturbance he felt. _Ventress!_ His eyes snapped open filled with malice and clouded in darkness as his rage grew, she was with Kenobi and she was killing him. _His apprentice._

Dooku abruptly turned back the way he came and stormed towards the room he left Obi-Wan in, breaking into a jog as he felt the damage Ventress was inflicting. _That stupid Witch could ruin everything…_

It didn't take him long at his pace to race back to their location, rocketing into the room like a raging storm. Ventress was straddling Obi-Wan, face only inches from the Jedi's face as the young Knight bled out. Dooku's rage overcame him completely, he shoved Ventress against the wall with such ferocity so swiftly she didn't even have a chance to acknowledge what was happening. Less than a second later he had a death grip around her throat, squeezing the life of the pathetic creature that aspired to be _his_ apprentice. As if he would ever let anyone as useless as this stand by his side…

Dooku took great joy from watching Ventress struggle for breath, eyes wide as the lack of oxygen started to catch up with her, arms flailing and desperately scratching at the air seeking breath. A moan from Obi-Wan had his attention split, he glanced over at the fallen Jedi and worriedly witnessed his rasping breaths, noted the growing pool of blood that surrounded him. Ventress really had almost killed him, she still might if he didn't do something now.

Reluctantly he released his grip on Ventress' throat and screamed for her to get out, she scampered away as quickly as her legs would carry her, unwilling to stick around for more of her Master's rage. If he hadn't needed her Dooku would have snapped her neck then and there, as the rage retreated the more logical part of his brain acknowledged that he did still need her, she would die soon and he would take great pleasure in watching it happen.

He commed for medical assistance before moving swiftly to Obi-Wan's side, noting the Knight was already unconscious and bleeding profusely. Dooku pressed down on the gaping wound in Kenobi's chest, pouring what energy he had left into his future apprentice's broken body, stemming the blood flow before Obi-Wan's heart finally gave out. He could sense the Jedi was very quickly going into shock and willed the medical team to get her faster, all of his plans were quite literally slipping through his fingers as Obi-Wan's life source trickled out of his body.

It was then Dooku realised Ventress must have lured him away from Kenobi, intent on resolving her petty grudge. He would have words with the Witch after he got Obi-Wan to the med-bay, this damage was too much to be dealt with by just using healing crystals. The only reason he had kept the Knight out of the med-bay last time was because of Ventress, he was no fool. Dooku could sense her desire to end Kenobi, she saw him as a threat to her position and quite rightly so. He admonished himself for being so blind to her latest trick, there would be severe repercussions for her betrayal. Severe repercussions indeed…

* * *

 **A/N - *runs away from Obi-Wan's fans...* I'm sorry but... it was for the good of the story, you will see why in the upcoming chapters :)**

 **Like I stated previously things are pretty busy here so I'm not sure if I will be able to keep the usual schedule, it shouldn't be much later than usual!**

 **Until next time...**


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N - A slightly later update than usual as I am in the middle of my exams! I'm afraid the next one will probably be over a week too as it's looking to a lot longer than I expected! Thank you once again for anyone that has reviewed/favourited/followed or simply read this story!**

 **Hope you enjoy the instalment :)**

* * *

Prolonged pain, blinding agony, distressing misery. These were the only comprehensible thoughts that Obi-Wan's mind could churn out. This surely must be what it felt like to be dying, nerve endings aflame, muscles numb as they succumbed to the inevitable. Shockingly Obi-Wan was still alive minutes on, he felt solid ground beneath his back once more, not the cold dura-steel of a ship as he was expecting. No, this was a warm place. Sunlight warmed his blood soaked skin and the melody of crashing water filled his ears, he had been here often enough to recognise his surroundings by these facts alone. The room of a thousand fountains.

The intense burning all over his body subsided to a dull throbbing, as it always did in this place. This place where his mind was free from the physical pulls of the body, it was most welcome at this particular point. Obi-Wan spent several seconds relishing the possibilities of remaining here and not having to deal with the damage that Ventress had wrought, several more seconds basking in the sun with the knowledge that he wasn't in the same blatant agony as he was only moments ago. He breathed in deeply allowing himself to revel in the feeling of filling his lungs without the misery of aching or coughing, Obi-Wan was almost certain that his real body had a collapsed lung by now. The last memory he had of breathing, or attempting to breath at least, only brought a memory of retching and hacking as he desperately endeavoured to fill his lungs with the oxygen they so desperately needed. That was not the case here, wherever here was. Every time he met Qui-Gon in this place it was as if they were sharing a mediation of sorts, at first of course Obi-Wan had been sure the entire thing was in his mind. Now however he knew better, it was still rather a mystery he still did not know how Qui-Gon made the connection from the force but he did.

His thoughts were interrupted as the light tread of footsteps reached his ears, the soft crunch of boots impacting with dirt and leaves indicated the approach of a familiar presence, Qui-Gon. Obi-Wan tentatively cracked his eyes open, bringing a hand up to shield them from the artificial sun's glaring beams. He was shocked to see his hands covered in a bright crimson, not yet dried, _his blood._ Lifting himself up slowly, wincing and gasping as the throbbing in his chest made itself known once more, Obi-Wan gazed down at the mess of his tunics in wonder. They were crimson stained, the wound growing by the second.

Obi-Wan stared up at Qui-Gon bewildered, unsure of what this meant. Perhaps the damage to his physical body was too much to completely be absent in this place, the very fact that he had been able to prop himself up unaided was a miracle with his original wounds, so it seems this place did lessen the effects considerably. He caught his Master's gaze, he too had been staring in shock at the blood which smothered his Padawan. Obi-Wan recognised the look he had fleetingly seen cross Qui-Gon's eyes, _guilt._ _Why would he feel guilty? This is not his fault…_

Kind familiar eyes bore into his own as Qui-Gon plastered on a quick smile to cover, it did not reach his eyes in the slightest, Obi-Wan was not fooled. His Master was hiding something.

"Master?" Force, even his voice came out rasping. He coughed until he felt he would be able to project properly.

Qui-Gon did not answer, he simply sat down beside Obi-Wan facing him but not being able to hold his gaze anymore. The behaviour was frankly worrying to Obi-Wan, what could possibly make Qui-Gon feel so guilty?

"What is it?" His voice was far steadier that time, less wheezy. He added to the question by reaching out to place his hand on Qui-Gon's shoulder, anxiety rocketing once more as his Master seemed to flinch slightly at the touch and drop his gaze further.

Obi-Wan attempted to wait patiently, not wanting to appear to be rushing his Master but he needed to know what had Qui-Gon so rattled. He hadn't seen Qui-Gon like this in a great many years, the behaviour his mentor was exhibiting was plainly distressing. In what seemed like hours later Qui-Gon finally lifted his chin and stared straight at Obi-Wan, the overwhelming guilt screaming out was striking.

"I can't do this anymore, Obi-Wan. The guilt is eating away at my soul…" The voice was quiet, cracking slightly as if his Master was struggling with speaking.

Obi-Wan pulled his hand back from Qui-Gon's shoulder as if it was burning on contact, he had not expected his Master to sound so disheartened, so _broken._ Qui-Gon's eyes flashed with distress at the action, pained over the loss of contact but understanding why.

"Forgive me, Obi-Wan. I never wanted to cause you more pain. Quite the opposite in fact." He glanced down at Obi-Wan's knife addled chest cringing, before turning his head away, unable to look Obi-Wan in the face any more.

"Qui-Gon, what did you do?" Perhaps the tone was colder than Obi-Wan intended, and the lack of him using the term 'Master' was not lost on his mentor. Qui-Gon flinched once more at his student's actions before accepting them as what they were, reasonable after his own worrying words.

"It's a long story, Padawan."

"I think I've got the time, unless my body finally gives up back there." He had intended to lighten the mood with a joke, his usual dark humour and sarcasm. Immediately he realised this had been the wrong thing to say as Qui-Gon whipped his head round to face him again, tears forming in his eyes.

Obi-Wan didn't know what to say, or do for that matter. He had never seen his Master react so badly to one of his jokes before, even if it was in bad taste this time. Qui-Gon had always just smiled and warned him his dark humour was getting worse by the day. He had never reacted like _this._ Thankfully Qui-Gon waved aside the slip up and proceeded to tell Obi-Wan his tale.

"I have done something questionable. Obi-Wan. Something which … I may not have had the right to do." Qui-Gon paused for a moment, composing himself for the inevitable outburst after his next claim.

"I saw the future, Obi-Wan, I was shown it by the force itself… And I changed it."

"Master?!" Obi-Wan half squeaked, half exclaimed, shocked to his very core over the Jedi Master's confession. Qui-Gon had always done things differently from other Jedi, following the will of the force even if his actions were questionable but this! _This took the kriffing biscuit…_

Qui-Gon held up a hand in warning, forestalling any more interruptions before he had the chance to explain, Obi-Wan owed him that much so let him continue. Forcing his mouth to slam shut, after it had been left gaping open over the last statement.

"Obi-Wan. you did not see it, the entire galaxy fell into chaos, billions of innocents perished and the Jedi… the Jedi…" His Master's voice cracked the further he got, unable to finish his train of thought as the memories threatened to overwhelm him.

Obi-Wan was once again incredibly curious as to what his Master could have seen which would have him so rattled. He gave Qui-Gon a minute to compose himself before his curiosity got the better of him and his mentor caught onto his Padawan's slight impatience.

"The point is I could not stand idly by whilst _that_ future unfolded, all because of my misguided actions."

If Obi-Wan had a confused face before he was sure now he must look utterly bewildered, what could Qui-Gon have done that would have such far-reaching consequences?

"Your actions?"

His Master stared straight at him, guilt wracked features and eyes pain filled over the answer.

"Anakin."

Obi-Wan's confusion grew exponentially, _how could Anakin be the cause of such an awful future?_ He was sick of second guessing everything and seemingly receiving half-truths, Qui-Gon wasn't telling him everything clearly.

"You mentioned the Jedi, did we cause it?"

He observed as Qui-Gon sighed, gaze averting away to land on the waterfall falling in the distance. Clearly whatever his mentor had seen was disturbing him immensely, the fact only served to peak Obi-Wan's own curiosity.

"The Sith destroyed everything, Obi-Wan, I watched as everything I once loved fell apart. I watched as your heart was torn to shreds and a life worse than death was bestowed upon you."

Obi-Wan had only ever seen that look on Qui-Gon's face once before, when Tahl died. The future he had seen affected him worse than losing the love of his life, that solidified it for Obi-Wan. It must have been inconceivable.

"I couldn't take it. I just couldn't," Qui-Gon's voice cracked with emotion, whipping his gaze back to bore into Obi-Wan who squirmed slightly under the intense look he was receiving. It seemed Qui-Gon felt himself justified to do what he did, it did not stop the guilt making an appearance once more. For all they knew Qui-Gon could have committed them to an even more horrific path.

"So you changed the future, how?"

Qui-Gon once again waited before answering, reached out to Obi-Wan for a steadying hold, hand resting on his shoulder. It seemed once more Obi-Wan was not expected to like the answer…

"I reached out to Dooku."

Obi-Wan's mood abruptly changed as soon as the unforgivable truth was uttered from Qui-Gon's lips, he attempted to scramble away from his Master's hand which was still gripping his shoulder. _Dooku!_ _Dooku had kidnapped him and Anakin because of his Master?!_

"Padawan, it's not what you think. I managed to connect with him and showed him what the possible future could be, he too did not want it. I thought if he could take Darth Sidious out of the equation then it would all change, he's the only one who would believe me about this and the only one in the position to kill the Sith Lord. He had his trust."

Obi-Wan forced himself to calm down and stop scrambling away, residing to sit in shock instead. His head was a mess, reeling over all of the ramifications of the information. Anakin and he had been put through all of this, _tortured_ because of Qui-Gon's actions, no wonder he looked so guilty…

"This… is all because of what you did?!" He unsuccessfully attempted to keep his calm, anger boiling over into his tone slightly over the horrible truth.

"Obi-Wan, I swear to you I had no idea Dooku would involve you or Anakin. He blocked my attempts to talk to him months ago, I can only beg your forgiveness Padawan. All I wanted was to change the awful future, to spare you and the galaxy all that pain and suffering."

Obi-Wan scoffed, _so much for sparing me and Anakin pain._ He managed to calm himself as his Master's words rang true, full of sincerity. Obi-Wan began to mull over Qui-Gon's revelation, surely the future could not have been that bad with just one Sith lord meddling and plotting. _What could one man do against the entire Jedi order?_

"Show me."

"Obi-Wan, I can't." Qui-Gon's features morphed into a shocked pained expression at the request, he had not been expecting Obi-Wan to ask this of him evidently.

"If you want me to believe any of this then you'll have to show me." Obi-Wan stared straight back at his mentor, unyielding in his conviction. I _must_ see, even if it kills me…

"It will only bring you more pain," Qui-Gon warned, voice tight with the harsh reality of what he had already witnessed.

"I have to know."

His Master only shook his head sadly, noting Obi-Wan's resolute stance, he would not budge on this request. Qui-Gon seemingly prepared himself, breathing in deeply and looked into Obi-Wan's eyes once more, hoping to see a flicker of crumbling resolve. Anything so he would not have to go through with this. Obi-Wan did nothing, staying firm and resolute under the scrutiny, nodding his head slightly to go ahead. Qui-Gon only bowed his own in grief before reaching out a hand to place it on Obi-Wan's temple, as soon as the two made contact the visions started…

* * *

It was the most peculiar feeling, his mind was connected to Qui-Gon's and it was as if he was an outsider looking in on his mentor's memories themselves. Subject matter swirled into existence as Obi-Wan found himself in exceedingly similar surroundings, the Jedi Temple. Obi-Wan found he could move his feet forwards to examine parts of the memory closer, the vision settled as he recognised the location, his and Anakin's apartment.

He whipped his head towards the entrance as none other than Anakin and he came storming in, from their body language it seemed they were deeply embroiled in an argument. The intensity of it actually made Obi-Wan stumble back slightly with shock, he could feel the heightened negative emotions tainting the force surrounding the pair, could see Anakin's features resembling that of the moment he was killing Skepaf, recognised his own look of exasperation. It seemed his other self was losing patience, and rapidly at that.

Anakin continued to rocket into the apartment not minding his surroundings so the furniture and any straggling equipment was callously shoved out of the way, from the boy's height Obi-Wan determined that this couldn't be more than a year or two from the present. He had seen Anakin have tantrums before and he always came down swiftly on the boy to prevent them, it seemed things had only got worse with his apprentice.

"For stars sake, Padawan. You will control your temper!" Obi-Wan's tone sounded weary, tired even, as if he'd muttered the words over and over again.

Obi-Wan stared at his future self and took everything in, the bedraggled appearance, his tired features, pain filled eyes, alarmingly greying hair… What could have happened between him and his Padawan that had pushed Obi-Wan to this state? He could sense his loss of patience over the entire situation, his resolve weakening as Anakin continued to not listen. Clearly this had become a regular occurrence.

"He started it, Obi-Wan! Why do you always blame me for everything!" Anakin screamed back the reply, sending a mechanical piece crashing into one of the walls where it unceremoniously smashed into pieces.

 _Force…_ Anakin's temper was not reducing, he was not listening to Obi-Wan at all and worse he was being openly disrespectful. Obi-Wan couldn't believe his eyes, what had happened to the boy he had grown to love? It was now that he spotted blood on his Padawan's face, scrapes on his hands, it would appear his young charge had been in a fight.

Obi-Wan glanced back over at his older self and noted the immense restraining he was performing, Anakin was pushing him to the end of his own tether and it was evidently becoming exceedingly difficult to handle his Padawan. He watched his other self clench and un-clench his fists, breathing out a deep sigh before answering in a dangerously controlled tone.

"You should know better by now, Anakin, how many times have I told you this behaviour is not acceptable. You will show me respect and you will learn your place, I am understood?"

Obi-Wan could feel the force surrounding Anakin tremble, he was hurt by the words and was about to lose control they could both sense it. Obi-Wan's older self still didn't back down, held his gaze until his Padawan submitted. The boy was too stubborn for his own good, Obi-Wan had never seen him react this way to a rightful telling off before, his apprentice would apologise and he would have meant it.

"I hate you," the boy whispered, voice dripping with venom.

Obi-Wan stared agape at his Padawan in shock, he felt the sincerity and conviction behind those words, Anakin, _his_ Anakin meant every word. He expected to see the same shock on his older self's face, instead only a weary resignation. This wasn't the first time the boy had said this, or meant it…

"Go to your room, meditate on your unbecoming emotions. I don't want to see you again until you can show yourself to have an attitude of a Padawan, not an ill-tempered child."

Anakin huffed once more, holding back a sharp retort before storming into his room, not without slamming the door of course. Obi-Wan observed as his older self let out a long breath, held his head in his hands for a few moments in distress before composing himself once more, those words had hurt even if he hadn't shown Anakin. He picked up on one final thought before the scene augmented into another, 'Where did I go wrong?'

The next memories were flashed through at speed, never staying on a scene for longer than a few seconds. It did not matter Obi-Wan caught onto the general message and felt all the emotions his other self was feeling with a vengeance, it was heart-breaking. He witnessed the rifts between he and Anakin increase, watched arguments and disagreements reach new heights the further they moved forward in their apprenticeship.

He observed his older self grow more sarcastic and bitter by the day, unable to fix the ailing relationship with his Padawan and wishing they could go back to day one. Obi-Wan watched as Anakin got himself caught up in more fights, grew more arrogant by the day and secluded himself completely from his class mates. The boy spent more and more time with Senator Palpatine and when he came back an argument always broke out between Master and apprentice, usually with Anakin claiming Obi-Wan was holding him back he should be trusted more. Of course each situation ended the same way, Obi-Wan would send him away until he could address him properly Anakin would half-heartedly apologise and his resentment would grow, the issue remaining unresolved.

A scene formed of what appeared to be Anakin at 15 or 16 years old, he had shot up height wise and his features had been chiseled to lose all of the innocence of youth. His eyes looked darker somehow, not the brilliant blue Obi-Wan was so used to seeing all of the time. Anakin was sitting alone tinkering with a machine, somethings did not change it seemed… The closer Obi-Wan looked the more he saw his Padawan was barely keeping himself together, he could trace tear tracks which ran down the young man's face and caught the slight shaking of Anakin's shoulders. The force was extremely disturbed as it swelled around the young man, expression pained as he remembered the source of his anguish. Obi-Wan picked up the thoughts from the pained boy, they were of his mother and her suffering in slavery.

The sight sent a shiver down Obi-Wan's spine and he felt a lump forming in his throat, where was he in this vision? Why was he not helping Anakin through these dreams if they were obviously affecting him in such a detrimental way… He waited to see if anyone would come, if his older self would enter and help his suffering Padawan, no-one did. Anakin did not look surprised which lead Obi-Wan to believe this was a common occurrence, he had been left to deal with his problems himself or he did not simply _trust_ Obi-Wan enough to take it to him. His own Padawan didn't trust him, the blow was a tough one to swallow.

In the next setting Obi-Wan recognised it to be the senate building, specifically the chancellor's office. Anakin strolled in confidently, stars he looked old, the boy was turning into a man right in front of his eyes. His learner's braid was remarkably long as it swung when he moved, all signs of youth obliterated to leave room for the strong build of a man. His Anakin had grown up, the features were still more or less there, the brilliant smile he had so missed seeing, perhaps the boy had levelled out slightly?

His hopes were quashed as Obi-Wan took note of the reason to Anakin's joy, he was meeting Chancellor Palpatine. The Chancellor took one look up at the young man before breaking into a wide grin himself, standing to embrace him.

"Anakin my boy, it is good to see you. It's been some time indeed."

Obi-Wan witnessed as Anakin returned the hug, genuine smile lighting up the room, he was like this with Palpatine and not him? It was almost too agonising to watch.

"Sorry it's been so long, Chancellor, Obi-Wan and I have been on one mission after another!"

Palpatine invited Anakin to sit and offered him some wine, unsurprisingly enough Anakin took the offered refreshment and began to drink. Did his older self know of all these meetings? He wouldn't be too happy if he saw his apprentice in this position now, the image and subtle warnings in the force were worrying.

"It's good the Jedi council are finally using your abilities, Anakin, they've certainly been blind to them thus far." The Chancellor chuckled slightly, delighted that Anakin was out on missions more often.

Obi-Wan was disgusted, how dare the Chancellor say such things about the Jedi? He was deliberately pushing Anakin to believe his abilities were above all others, no wonder why the boy had seemed so arrogant, this was the very man filling his head with all this nonsense.

"It's definitely good to be out, my class mates here are jealous."

Obi-Wan held his head in his hands, Anakin's behaviour and outlook had only got worse with age. Arrogance was certainly not a quality he would have nurtured, Anakin knew better than that to think such ill thoughts of other Jedi.

"Well for someone with your extraordinary abilities it is only to be expected, my boy, tell me has your Master said when you can start your solo missions yet? Force knows you're more than ready."

Obi-Wan actually snapped to Palpatine at the remark, the man was clearly pushing Anakin to question why he wasn't trusted on his own yet. The Jedi do not allow their students to be pushed further than where they should be, Anakin should know that yet he was evidently allowing the Chancellors words to get to him. Obi-Wan saw now this was the source of Anakin's frustration with him, Palpatine had manipulated him into thinking that he was always being held back, not good enough. Obi-Wan felt his own temper rise at the scene, disbelieving that this man could be getting away with corrupting _his_ Padawan, for what must have been years…

"Uhhh… Obi-Wan says I must have patience, I can't help but feel he's holding me back though. He doesn't want to be upstaged by his own Padawan."

'Insolent wretched barve,' Obi-Wan thought as the treacherous words spilled out of his own apprentice's mouth, this man obviously had a tight hold on the boy's mind. He was successfully turning him against his own Master! The cunning Chancellor was playing a very dangerous game, Obi-Wan wished to break through this vision and give the man a piece of his mind right here. Once more his older self was nowhere to be seen, it seems Anakin had got used to turning to the Chancellor for someone to talk to.

The next visions started to fly by once more, thankfully the arguments between the pair seemed to drop to a new low. Obi-Wan and Anakin were out of the temple more often than in it, without the contact with the Chancellor or other Jedi their relationship seemingly improved and thankfully Obi-Wan saw sparks of the same closeness he felt with his Anakin now. It was clear the damage had been wrought over the years however as they had intense moments and it was often strained, he watched as his older self relished the times when they were on good terms, ecstatic that he had his Padawan back even if it were for a short time.

The pair went on mission after mission, the problems in the galaxy seemed to be growing exponentially and the Separatist movement was growing more bold. Anakin handled himself well, perhaps a little blunt when it came to confrontation but Obi-Wan mused they had more time until his apprentice need face his trials, he would be able to correct Anakin's biggest fault and the chosen one would continue to grow in strength. Obi-Wan thought Anakin's force connection was strong now, that was nothing compared to what he was seeing in these visions, the boy he had raised was now a man with extraordinary skill. The sight made Obi-Wan proud, there was some of the boy he knew in there.

When he did catch glimpses of their arguments however they made him recoil from the vision, the turbulent feelings tainting the force were oppressive. Once or twice their tiffs turned physical, he witnessed one time Anakin took his rage out on Obi-Wan in a training exercise and actually landed a painful hit to his Master, Obi-Wan saw the fire remain in his Padawan's eyes for a few seconds before he came running to Obi-Wan's aid muttering apologies as he went. Anakin always got given a good grilling and lecture on why it was imperative that he never let his emotions control his actions, Anakin would apologise and they would reconcile. Their relationship seemed to be just that, turbulent. There were the two extremes, when things were going well the pair almost looked like brothers, laughing and being joyous in the other's company. However when things went wrong, it was like two storms colliding and the aftermath was catastrophic.

Anakin's visions and dreams of his mother became worse as the years moved forward, eventually the scene stopped again at a point where Anakin was a Senior Padawan. None other than Padme Amidala entered their lives once more as she was the target of a bounty hunter, Anakin and Obi-Wan were assigned to watch over her as she visited Coruscant.

Obi-Wan observed as Anakin's unbecoming feelings towards Padme made themselves known, he had noticed the boy's affection of her when they were on Naboo, Obi-Wan had never imagined the childhood affection to last a decade later. From the ailing thoughts he was picking up however it was abundantly clear that Anakin had never forgotten about Padme, still dreamt about her to this day. He watched as his older self cautioned the young man, it was evident to Obi-Wan his apprentice would not stop. He felt deeply, perhaps too deeply.

The two had some conflicts during the mission, tiffs and exasperations over the others actions but on the surface it seemed the pair were getting along better and even had some of the camaraderie that he and Qui-Gon had once had. It turns out Obi-Wan hadn't managed to completely quash the reckless streak he had always had, his older self leapt out of a window in an attempt to catch a fleeing assassin probe. If it hadn't been for Anakin's quick thinking and excellent piloting his apprentice would have found himself without a Master. His Padawan's piloting skills were being put to good use as he found it hilarious to scare the wits out of Obi-Wan, his older self was evidently not amused in the slightest, he did loath flying after all…

Obi-Wan witnessed Anakin being sent on his first solo mission, escorting Padme back to Naboo. Why had his older self not questioned the decision more? It was obvious that Anakin's feelings towards the girl were not professional at all, perhaps he was fearful that his Padawan would mistake the reason to be that he wasn't ready. Their partnership was at a relatively less turbulent point now, if Obi-Wan had pushed then he was sure Anakin would have snapped.

The next part's of the memories rushed past again, Obi-Wan caught fleeting glimpses of Anakin and Padme's feelings growing and worryingly becoming more solidified. He saw his older self discover a clone army whilst chasing the bounty hunter Jango Fett, _a clone army?_ His confusion was short lived as the next vivid scene swirled into existence, he could tell it was not going to be a happy scene by the already tainted force.

Obi-Wan found himself inside what appeared to be a tent of sorts, from the atmosphere he would say the place was situated in a desert or similar surroundings. As subject matter appeared Obi-Wan's gaze was drawn to the form of Anakin, he had a bloodied and beaten woman in his arms. His mother… Obi-Wan could feel from her life essence that she was passing away, there was nothing to be done yet Anakin would not accept the terrible truth. This was what he had been dreaming all these years, the terrible visions that had been haunting him finally coming true.

Obi-Wan's heart ached as he felt the agony Anakin was in, the raw pain and misery he was feeling as Shmi Skywalker died in his arms. Obi-Wan once again wanted to be able to step forward and embrace the boy, he shouldn't have to deal with this alone. Abruptly the mood changed as Anakin's sobs of misery turned into violent shudders of rage, Obi-Wan shrunk back as the darkness overtook his Padawan and the crystal blue eyes he had grown used to seeing were lost in hatred.

Obi-Wan screamed out at Anakin in vain as he stormed outside lightsaber ablaze, ready to seek vengeance on anyone that came his way.

"No, Anakin, No!"

The desperate screams went unheard as his Padawan continued on his murderous rampage, slaughtering all of the sand people, even the women and children. When he was done Anakin returned to the tent and sat down to cradle his mother's body in his arms, Obi-Wan stumbled over with the shock of it, so many slain by the hand of his Padawan. He had hunted down every last one of them, the defenceless children… Obi-Wan felt sick as the realisation slammed into him, Anakin had turned into a monster.

The scene swirled out of existence once more, the surroundings changed to what looked to be an ancient gladiator ring. He could see his older self chained to a totem pole, along with Anakin and Padme. The boy seemed to be back to his old self, all traces of the monster Obi-Wan had just seen gone. Casting a sweeping gaze around the arena he noted the ever elegant Count Dooku watching the proceedings, it seemed they had always been destined to meet then.

He, Anakin and Padme were to be executed by means of some rather vicious looking predators, hungry ones at that. The scene fast forwarded slightly as the trio managed to evade death, only for Dooku to roll out battle droids to finish them. Was this the end Qui-Gon was trying to stop? Obi-Wan was no fool, without saber's he and Anakin didn't stand a chance of surviving the attack. Just as all hope seemed lost Obi-Wan felt the presence of hundreds of Jedi flare, they attacked the droids and Mace Windu himself confronted Dooku.

The ensuing battle was bloody, Obi-Wan felt every life lost, felt despair at every unnecessary life extinguished. Padawan's perished right beside their Master's as the Jedi were slowly but surely overwhelmed. The remaining Jedi left standing were herded into a circle at the center of the battle field, it was no use, no matter how many they cut down legions of more droids continued to spill from the factory. Obi-Wan could feel his older self's exhaustion, after being held in captivity to battling hundreds of droids he could sense a dramatic fall in his ability.

The next visions flashed forward once more, just when he thought all hope was lost Master Yoda had shown up with ships carrying an army dressed all in white. _The clone army…_ The surviving Jedi boarded the ships and were whisked away from the brutal arena where so many of their brothers and sisters had fallen. Obi-Wan sensed his older self's joy that Anakin had not been among the casualties, it seemed he had no inkling of the atrocities that his Padawan had wrought, no idea of the monster that lay beneath…

Obi-Wan and Anakin fought brutally once more as Padme was thrown from their transport, their once dangerous feelings had fledged in a full-blown romance it seemed. Thankfully his Padawan saw sense and reluctantly agreed to do his duty and aid Obi-Wan with Dooku. It was strange to see the Ex-Jedi in this capacity, doing his own dirty work so to say. The Count had aged dramatically to what Obi-Wan was used to seeing, from his saber form however it seemed he had excelled in that arena greatly.

He winced as his Padawan was hit by shock lightening and slammed into a wall, the boy had not listened to his instructions when it mattered most and was paying the price of it. Obi-Wan could feel the weariness in his other self's body, from the glint in Dooku's eyes it seems so could he. The contest was short and brutal, ending with Obi-Wan at the Count's feet with smoking holes peppering his skin. The stench of burnt flesh filled the air, Obi-Wan knew this must be the end now, he was at Dooku's mercy and the man was preparing his killing blow.

Out of nowhere Anakin's blade stopped the fatal blow before it fell, face strewn into fierce protectiveness. Anakin's saber skills had improved exponentially, that was evident from him being able to hold his own against Dooku for some time, of course Obi-Wan could see from the way the Count was fighting that this would only end one way. That did not stop the gasp from escaping his lips though as his Padwan's hand was sliced clean off and his body thrown back into Obi-Wan's own.

In the distance he heard Master Yoda enter and the two engage in a deadly battle with the force, Obi-Wan did not care to watch. His attention was fixed on one thing, his Padawan. The young man looked no older than a boy as he lay there, eyes shocked at the turn of events and face screwed up with pain. Obi-Wan stared sorrowfully down into those crystal blue eyes he knew so well, they were wracked with agony as the harsh reality of the loss of limb caught up to his muddled brain. Anakin Skywalker promptly passed out in his Master's arms as the misery became too much and he inevitably went into shock.

Obi-Wan could scarcely believe all he had seen so far, Qui-Gon had been right when he claimed the future was troubling. So many Jedi had lost their lives today and Obi-Wan could feel the force tainted with darkness and terrible sorrow over the mindless loss of life.

As Obi-Wan watched and felt what he believed the worse of what was to come, he realised how wrong he was when the latest shocking vision swirled out of existence and the oncoming storm grew darker…

* * *

 **A/N - Well things are going to get a lot worse in the visions I can say that for sure... I will update ASAP as always!**

 **Until next time...**


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N - I apologise for not updating sooner! As I said in my last update it has been exam season, however they are now over! So my updating should be back on track from now :) This chapter picks up where we left off with Obi-Wan and the visions, just for reference in case anyone doesn't recognise some of the scenes they are from various star wars authors and the characters again do not belong to me (I will put a more detailed event at the end of the chapter as SPOILERS)**

 **Also this chapter has turned out to be my longest yet, I did think about splitting it up but there wasn't really a natural place to stop so this is a little treat! Thank you once again for all the support and reviews, they are as always very much appreciated. I'm glad you're enjoying the story and I hope you enjoy this update! Anyway enough from me, enjoy.**

* * *

One phrase seemed to fill the air as multiple conversations blurred into one, ' _the clone wars have started_ '. Obi-Wan wasn't completely certain he knew what that meant, what all the ramifications would be of a war but there was one thing that had been made abundantly clear from the snippets of conversations he could hear, the consequences of the upcoming battles would be catastrophic.

Obi-Wan watched the visions as the republic prepared itself for conflict, hundreds of thousands of clones were dispatched to war-torn worlds, ships deployed to meet the rising Separatist forces, Jedi became soldiers in a desperate struggle to keep the Galaxy from tearing itself apart. He winced at the implications of the Jedi's new struggle they had always been primarily peace-keepers, Obi-Wan himself specialising in diplomacy just as Qui-Gon had trained him, but now because of this war Knights became commanders and Master's generals in the grand Republic army. _Things had really got this bad_.

Brief scenes materialised out of the visions, Anakin receiving a prosthetic arm to replace the limb he lost on Geonosis, the Padawan struggled to train with the new hand at first, feeling a part of him was lost forever. Obi-Wan continued to watch as his Padawan grew more and more frustrated with the loss, with his failure with Dooku, the agonising loss of his mother, with the setback he would have to overcome. Obi-Wan's elder self was patient with his apprentice, helped him through the ordeal and trained with Anakin until he was just as competent with the metal hand as he had been with flesh. He was there for the young man, not as a Master which Yoda had advised, but as a father, a friend, a brother.

His elder self learned of Shmi Skywalker's death and how it had affected his Padawan, he remained by his side throughout the nightmares, through the emotional breakdowns over the memories, not once finding out the terrible truth of what Anakin had done to her murderers. Obi-Wan observed as his and Anakin's relationship strengthened, he felt that if he wasn't a friend to Anakin through these difficult times then he would have lost the young man forever. He didn't need a Master through the ordeal, he needed a friend so that was exactly what Obi-Wan was to him.

The loss after Geonosis affected them all in their own ways, so many of their own were brutally murdered that day, so many lives extinguished needlessly. It was a heavy blow for the Jedi order. Things in the Temple never seemed the same after that day, there seemed to be no levity in the ancient walls as every initiate, Padawan and Knight of the order had now seen first-hand what their lives were to be, the great sacrifice's they would be making to uphold peace in the Galaxy.

Obi-Wan despaired as the fleeting images materialised in and out of subject matter around him, most scenes not lasting longer than a few seconds, it was probably for the best he was not sure how much more death and anguish his heart could take. Senior Padawan's were fast-tracked into Knight hood as the war raged on all around them, the number of Jedi in the galaxy declined rapidly as every mission to keep planet's protected waged into all out battles and inevitably led to ghastly loss of life.

The worst vision for a while materialised around Obi-Wan, he found himself standing in what appeared to be the middle of a war ground. The ground was covered in deep mud and peppered with pools of blood, riddled with bodies of clones and droids alike. The revulsion of the mess made him feel queasy, the force around Obi-Wan was alight in turmoil, screaming out with the echoes of the men's grisly final moments. The place stunk of _death._ He turned towards the sound of explosions and blaster fire, seeking through the thrashing rain that poured down upon the battle field, mixing crimson and brown alike. Cannon fire ripped into the ground around the trooper's feet, blaster fire hitting their mark more often than not. Obi-Wan had seen enough to know the Republic forces were being overwhelmed, he found his feet moving of their own accord towards the raging fight, mind numb from the countless needless death that lay all around.

As he walked painstakingly closer to the destruction his breath almost stopped at the sight of bodies other than that of clones and droids, Padawan's lay dead strewn across the large space in front of him, hands desperately still clutching their saber hilts. This was no place to die, forgotten on some far away world filled with so much hate, soaked in the battle field itself, _alone_. Obi-Wan felt tears blur the edge of his vision as he strode forward and caught sight of the sheer number of dead Jedi, some Padawan's so young their braids no longer than a few inches. They had all been starting out on their journey as Jedi and had their lives cut ruthlessly short, it was not fair. Obi-Wan had seen death, had killed many himself but nothing could have prepared him for the overwhelming emotions this setting evoked, this _many_ bodies.

His gaze fell upon his former student Anakin, drenched head to toe in sweat, blood and rain, caked in filthy mud, teeth gritted in determination as his blue saber swung again and again to keep the growing blaster bolts at bay. Clone's continued to fall around Anakin as their position was slowly but surely overwhelmed, fresh tears were springing from Anakin's eyes as he took in the scene, felt a great loss. It was then that Obi-Wan finally noticed that his elder self was nowhere to be seen, he felt with full force his Padawan's feelings and memories. He gasped as the depth of the emotions hit him with full force, Obi-Wan had been _killed_. Slaughtered on this world alongside all the other Jedi. The finality of the feelings took Obi-Wan's breath away, Anakin was close to losing the precious control he had over his emotions, threatening to boil over and descend into darkness once and for all. The sight shocked Obi-Wan, he had known that Anakin would never take his death well, but he had never realised that the feelings ran this deeply, that he was _this_ much of an anchor for the young man.

The scene seemed to flash forward once more as Obi-Wan witnessed Anakin regrettably pulling out, receiving a direct order from the Chancellor himself to evacuate. Obi-Wan could tell the young man was reluctant, he defiantly stood amongst the carnage for a little longer, azure saber sweeping in deadly arcs to keep the murderous droids at bay. He was the only Jedi left standing, the _only survivor._ Thankfully Anakin listened to orders and evacuated the last of the troops left standing off of the war-torn world, leaving the world's occupants to their upcoming war, he was fighting a losing battle. Obi-Wan couldn't take it if he had to witness his Padawan fall, cut down in vengeance on a world so far from home.

In the next visions Obi-Wan's theories over his death were quashed, was this fate Qui-Gon had been talking about that was worse than death itself? He winced at the damage that been inflicted to his elder self, marvelled at the sheer resistance at the hands of a very familiar figure, Ventress. It seemed they had always been destined to meet in this fashion then, maybe fate did have a sense of irony.

Obi-Wan remained a captive under Ventress for months, a testing victim for her dastardly Sith torture devices. The scenes were sickening, Obi-Wan honestly didn't know how he would be getting out of this one alive, everyone else already thought he was dead, Anakin thought he was _dead_. The scene fast-forwarded once again as Obi-Wan managed to escape Ventress' clutches and get back to his Padawan, after a short time healing the pair were back out on the front lines, the war's needs outweighing their need for rest, their need to console each other over the horrors of Jablim.

Obi-Wan witnessed his own Padawan's knighting, feeling a mixture of pride and worry, mirroring his elder self on that regard. The boy was far too headstrong, quick to anger, in an ideal world he would have remained under Obi-Wan's wing for several more years and perhaps he could have fixed those staining streaks. Obi-Wan had to admit however, Anakin seemed to be taking the new responsibility seriously. He was always training and aimed to be good enough to stop Dooku once and for all, the last encounter with the Sith had left a permanent mark on Anakin, Obi-Wan could feel his elder self's wish for a resolution also. As long as one of their own was out there wreaking havoc the war would never end, Dooku was far too cunning and dangerous as an opponent, influential over the entire Separatist cause.

Even though Anakin had been knighted that did not mean that the team was split up, Obi-Wan witnessed the pair dispatched on dozens of missions to deal with the uprising forces of the Separatist movement, growing closer and closer the longer they spent together. Obi-Wan revelled in the times that he and Anakin were together, the young man's prickly nature that always had caused friction with the two had mellowed greatly. This was the boy he had seen as a son once, the good natured Padawan who was selfless and had a good heart. To be able to see Anakin back to his old self made the shock of the war seem less, the needless loss of life tainted the force in the galaxy brought all of their spirits down, it was the moments of levity with Anakin that Obi-Wan lived for.

The vision's proceeded to get darker as Obi-Wan found his breath hitch more than once, unprepared for the sheer amount of loss and grief that accompanied the actions. The visions flashed through what appeared to be the same moment over and over again, of course it was not the same, it was only the resultant that remained constant. It was always a great battle, droids and clones fighting, innocents being caught in the crossfire. Villages and settlements went up in flames on so many worlds, falling victim to the dark side of the war. Jedi fell in greater numbers as the sheer amount of droids and enemy forces overwhelmed their positions, many dying protecting the innocents of the worlds, fulfilling their promise to the galaxy, doing their duty.

No matter how many versions of the same tale Obi-Wan saw he did not find it any easier watching the next, in fact the more he watched the harder it became to not just break down in tears over the horrifying images he was witnessing. How could have things got this far? Qui-Gon was right the future _was_ calamitous, it was rapidly falling into complete chaos.

Obi-Wan's heart ached as he witnessed countless friends and other Jedi die, mercilessly cut down by the enemy, he had known most of them throughout his years at the temple so every loss felt personal, carving away at his heart. Time and time again Obi-Wan attended the funerals for fallen comrades, the affair regrettably became a common outing, too common. No matter how many times the words were said, Obi-Wan could never stop a piece of himself dying as the flames died away. ' _We are all luminous beings not this gross matter.'_ There were only so many funerals one could take before the loss started to hit personally, the words becoming less of a comfort the more he heard them. How long would it be until he was burning? Or Anakin for that matter? Obi-Wan shuddered as did his elder self when the thoughts ran through his mind, he didn't think he would ever be prepared to see Anakin dead. The little boy he trained, blond haired and bright-eyed, _burning_. He couldn't bear the thought so buried it deep within his mind, unprepared to think again on such an awful future.

Amongst the death and destruction Obi-Wan saw his older self find some peace, from his relationship with his former Padawan Anakin of all places. He was evidently proud of the Jedi Anakin was becoming, he was already proving himself to be tactfully minded and had personally lead and dealt countless destruction to the endless droids and Grievous' battle forces. He even had his own Padawan now and from the few flashes that Obi-Wan witnessed he could see that Anakin was always meant to be a teacher, he and Ashoka made a great team. It was heart-warming seeing the pair of them together working side by side, noting Anakin's worrying visions lessen in impact, if there weren't a war raging then Obi-Wan would say things were finally well in the galaxy. As Obi-Wan continued to watch the worrying troubles of the young man's past seemed to disappear before his eyes. Here Anakin cared fiercely about his friends and troops under his command, he fearlessly led them all into battle, earning the nickname 'the hero without fear', time and time again and much to Obi-Wan's chagrin rescued his older self a fair few times. It seems the elder Jedi Master was always the bait…

* * *

Obi-Wan and Anakin were flying side by side, each in their own individual fighters heading towards what appeared to be a Separatist fleet in deep space. Obi-Wan was not a comfortable flyer in the slightest, but his skills seemed to have improved greatly. Of course they were still no match for his former Padawan, the young man was a natural at it.

"I don't see why I have to be the bait _again_?" Obi-Wan ground out through gritted teeth as he had to swerve swiftly to avoid an incoming fleet of enemy ships.

Anakin's snort of laughter echoed in the cock pit of Obi-Wan's ship, evidently amused at Obi-Wan's tense state. Even though Obi-Wan could see his elder self was outwardly annoyed he could see through the facade, he was enjoying the banter with Anakin.

"Because, Master, you are so _very_ good at getting caught."

"Hmm… I would be careful if I were you, Anakin, I wouldn't want to be in your position in the dojo if I were goading a Jedi Master."

"Ha! I would like to see you try, Master!" Anakin's joyful laughter lifted both their moods, the fact they could find any sense of levity in such a perilous situation was a miracle in itself.

"Oh trust me, my friend, after we are finished here I will be teaching you many lessons…" Obi-Wan promised in a dangerous tone, mirth threatening to seep in and ruin the supposedly stern moment.

"I look forward to it, Master, now go get caught."

Obi-Wan watched as his elder self shook his head smiling, unable to wipe the grin off his face.

"Yes whatever you say, Anakin, you know you don't have to call me Master anymore right?" Obi-Wan's eyes twinkled as he spoke, face morphed into a teasing gesture as he prepared to fly towards the enemy freighter.

"I know, it's just habit I suppose."

They both knew it was more than that, nostalgic feelings of their long stretch as Master and apprentice filled the space surrounding them. Obi-Wan smiled genuinely for the first time since the visions began, it certainly was good to see this side of Anakin once more.

The force pulsed around the pair, sparking with mischief and camaraderie, just like old times. Obi-Wan sensed his older self had missed the ability to simply laugh with his apprentice, to enjoy in the little things in life, now finally he was once more. The pair promptly earned the public's endearance, heroes of the republic, the Negotiator and the hero without fear. Obi-Wan had to admit the two made a great team, they complimented one another in skills and approaches, because of the duo many worlds were saved from certain death.

As a technical outsider to the visions Obi-Wan could observe on proceedings well, it was clear to anyone who was looking what Anakin and he were to each other. The endless banter and joking, the care over each other's safety in battle, they were _brothers_. Obi-Wan could sense his elder self's feelings clearly, even though the galaxy was falling apart around him he believed everything was going to be alright, still held out hope for a brighter future. He had the comfort of Anakin being by his side through thick and thin, battling the same enemies that he was. The only thing that interrupted Obi-Wan's dark thoughts and unbecoming breakdowns was the fact that Anakin had been by his side throughout everything that had gone wrong in his life, he always would be.

* * *

Another scene started to materialise in front of Obi-Wan, smoke clouded the air as crashed and battered ships rolled to a stop on a dusty landscape. Far above in the sky he could hear the blaster fire and explosion which indicated a vicious battle was taking place, not knowing whether this vision would be positive or negative Obi-Wan found his feet moving of their own accord towards the crash site. As he moved closer to the wreckage he noted his elder self exit from another ship which had just landed, he was pelting towards the crash site worry evident on all of his features. _Perhaps not a pleasant vision then._

He reached the downed jet the same time as his elder self and proceeded to drop down inside the cockpit to see who the unfortunate soul was who had suffered this fate. The downed Jedi lay sprawled on the floor of the cockpit, blond head pillowed in her arms. _Siri._ Time seemed to slow as the information worked its way through Obi-Wan's pained mind, this couldn't be, not her, _not Siri_. Obi-Wan dropped to his knees, hands reaching out to offer some comfort, any comfort to her. Of course he could not interact with a vision's occupants so settled to just remain and watch his older self's actions, hoping and praying that it wasn't already too late. The force reeked of death.

He could _feel_ his older self's reservations to feel for a pulse, not wanting to have the finality of that action. Obi-Wan could not bear to have the certainty that Siri was dead, it would rip him apart.

"Siri."

"Blasterfire," The groaning voice responded, turning slightly to look up at Obi-Wan, "Magus."

Obi-Wan's elder self seemed to assess the situation outside of the cockpit before turning his attention back to the one who needed it.

"Padmé has him covered. We're safe for the moment," Obi-Wan replied.

"Everything is grey".

Obi-Wan felt tears pricking his eyes as her voice rasped out the confession, strength leaving her body with every breath.

"That was such a risky move," Obi-Wan admonished, unseeing or refusing to see the diminishing state of Siri's health.

"It worked didn't it?" She smirked before wincing over the pain.

Obi-Wan's elder self gasped as the realisation finally caught up with him, the gravity of the situation and the extent of Siri's injuries.

"I'll get the bacta…" His retreat was stopped as Siri caught his hand in hers, her agony etched over her beautiful face.

"Don't leave me. I wanted to say…"

Obi-Wan interrupted once more and again attempted to extract himself from Siri's dying grip, intent on getting help and forestalling the inevitable. "Siri, I must get the med kit…" He was again stopped by Siri.

"For star's sake, Obi-Wan, I'm dying. Do you have to interrupt me now?" The voice had dropped to a volume not much higher than a whisper, the effort to talk almost sapping all of the Jedi's strength.

Tears freely rolled down Obi-Wan's cheeks, he could see his elder self struggling to maintain the flood on his emotions. He guessed this version of himself had hardened his emotions so much already due to the war and all the loss, Obi-Wan himself was not accustomed to all of it. This loss was breaking his heart and he let it show, the force was in turmoil as Obi-Wan struggled to keep Siri in this world, holding on to her presence with every last ounce of strength that he could muster.

"You're not dying," He resolutely promised, attempting maybe to fool himself against the inevitable.

Siri struggled with her belt, unable to pull out what she was looking for. "I can't… get it for me."

Obi-Wan choked down a sob as her feeble attempts of moving were breaking his heart, _his Siri was dying in front of him._ Obi-Wan's elder self retrieved the object from her belt, her crystal and pressed it into her hand.

"No… yours," Siri let it fall into Obi-Wan's hand. "Now I will never leave you."

Her wheezing was getting worse, her body succumbing to the catastrophic injuries.

"You will never leave me," the elder Obi-Wan repeated, his own voice cracking with emotion as a few tears started to escape and fall down his cheeks.

Obi-Wan barely had any check on his emotion's anymore, anguish and agony coursing through every fibre of his being. Of course he knew why this death was so painful for him, the one he would struggle to let go if he even could, he and Siri were attached.

Siri's hand raised slowly and reached for Obi-Wan's cheek, slick with crimson blood, brushing his face slightly before allowing her hand to drop again.

"Don't worry so much," Her eyes closed and she was gone.

Obi-Wan lost control of the damn he was holding, he sobbed his heart out as he felt it splitting inside his chest. The agony of Siri's passing remained in the force for the both of them, he sensed the immense pain his elder self was experiencing as he laid his head on the cockpit and gripped her hand. _'What was worth living for if he had to carry this pain?'_

Obi-Wan's gaze never left Siri's dead stare, her once stunning eyes held so much wonder and excitement for life now were left empty, clouded. He screamed out in anguish as he fell to the floor beside her, reaching out once more to hold her hand, willing to break through the vision and take her into his arms. Heart-wrenchingly his hands found thin air and a fresh wave of tears broke free, he settled to just sit close to Siri's body, unable to move away and accept the bitter truth entirely.

There was movement and by the time Obi-Wan turned to stare out of the viewport his elder self was already striding away. To any outsider it would seem nothing was wrong with the Jedi, to Obi-Wan however he could clearly see and recognise the signs of grief and intense barely controlled rage radiating from the man, tainting the force. From the horrified look on Anakin's face it seemed the young man had also identified his Master's worrying actions, Anakin had too known vengeance Obi-Wan imagined he would not try to stop him from striking down the bounty hunter who had caused all of this. All of his misery.

He absently watched his older self ignite his saber and hold it to the bounty hunter's throat, could he really kill an unarmed man? Obi-Wan knew at this point in his life he couldn't do it, even with the agony he was in now. He could never desecrate Siri's memory like that when her body was still warm, thankfully his older self hadn't changed that much and too made the same decision, not before speaking some choice words to the bounty hunter who he saw as nothing more than a piece of dirt.

Obi-Wan's gaze fell once more on Siri's bloodied features, she looked strangely at peace even when he knew _he_ could never be again. Her loss had ripped a chunk of his heart right out, for once in his life Obi-Wan prayed he wouldn't have to experience such pain in any more of these visions, he wasn't sure if his heart could take it.

* * *

The visions seemed merciless as the very next memory was one playing out in the Jedi temple itself, in the communications room. Tears still stained cheeks, wet from Siri's death, mind still reeling Obi-Wan wished that the next thing he was destined to see would not break his heart further. His throat was already red raw from despair.

Alas fate was not so kind, he witnessed his elder self receive a notification of more Jedi casualties. On the list was Obi-Wan's life-long friend Garen Muln, _first Siri now Garen…_ Obi-Wan found he did not even cry out, shock overcoming all of his emotions foremost. It seemed the news was affecting his elder self in rather the same way, after a short silence he excused himself and only after seeking solace in his own quarters allowed himself to weep for the loss.

He and Garen had been best friends from Obi-Wan's very first memories of existence, always getting into trouble together and helping each other through the perils of an initiates life. Of course those perils felt like nothing at all compared to what the Jedi faced on a deadly basis now, their troubles all seemed so inconsequential. Obi-Wan sobbed for the loss right alongside his elder self, slipping to the floor to join him, Garen had always joked he would be forever rescuing Obi-Wan when he became stranded on back-water worlds. Obi-Wan never imagined living to feel the pain of not one but _two_ of his best friend's deaths, feeling their life force's ripped from the galaxy was more painful than watching his own Master die. This was a future that was immensely worse, so many deaths, so much loss, so much pain…

The visions flashed again as his apartment dissolved out of existence, Jedi died daily and it was becoming the norm. The remaining survivors in the temple went about their business with brusk efficiency, willing to look only forwards as the past only held pain. The temple itself became a deserted hollow place as the majority of Jedi were constantly required on the front lines, others only residing to recover from injuries before being deployed again. There was no joy in any of the faces in the visions, no moments of levity or mirth as the galaxy ripped itself apart.

Obi-Wan thanked the force he still had Anakin, the young Knight was the only person that could make Obi-Wan smile even in the slightest. He brought a levity to their rigorous and never-ending assignments, the dream team continued to work alongside one another standing side by side on the battle field, covering each other's backs. Anakin's Padawan had left the order so he too was grieving a loss, perhaps not at the same level as Obi-Wan but all the same they helped each other get through each day, just like brothers should.

The visions darkened ominously as subject matter once again formed in front of Obi-Wan, the scene was rather odd to say the least. His older self was riding a lizard and had just set off away from the Cody and the other clones, light saber in his grip as he rode off. The rest of the scene looked fairly normal with clone troopers deploying for what seemed to be a takeover of sorts. Obi-Wan had no idea what the outcome of this vision would be, perhaps his death with the bad feeling that he was already getting. His attention swung back round to the clone troopers as a communication was received.

"Execute order 66."

Without another word or even question the clone commander ordered his cannon men to take aim, and to Obi-Wan's horrifying outrage open fired on his older self. He hadn't stood a chance, shot in the back in a sense, betrayed by his own men. The attack left a bitter after taste in his mind as he stood shocked, witnessing his older self's fall to what was most likely imminent death. It turned out things were far worse than what was on the surface, Obi-Wan doubled over and grabbed his head in pain as hundreds of lives were extinguished all seemingly at once, not just any lives, Jedi.

He proceeded to grab at his solar plexus as the disturbance set in, feeling sick and dizzy all at once over the abrupt loss of connection with so many force sensitives. It was like watching hundreds of lights flicker out in a blackout, the staining of the force worsened with each passing second as more and more Jedi were brutally murdered. Turned on by their own men, all who had been issued the same order, _order 66._

Before Obi-Wan could properly absorb the colossal loss of life, his friends, comrades, the scene swirled into something far darker. A fresh wave of tears rolled down his eyes as he walked the halls of the Temple, bodies of the dead littered the vast structure. Master's lay over their own dead Padawan's and younglings, protecting them until their last breath. The temple, _home,_ was a killing house. It had been reduced to nothing more than death and destruction by their so called _brothers_ in arms. Obi-Wan felt immense rage overtake him over the thought, how could they justifiably murder so many, kill the peacekeepers that had already sacrificed so much to save the Republic.

Master Yoda and his elder self looked grave as they moved through the halls, stopping to check on a group of younglings hoping for any signs of life anywhere. There were none. The last moments of every one perished stained the force in what should have been a safe haven, agonising pain as blaster bolts tore through their bodies. Obi-Wan felt tears prickling once more as they continued to move solemnly through the battle ground, a choked sob escaped his throat as a familiar huddle lay ahead.

He and his elder self rushed forward at precisely the same moment, not wanting to believe the horrible truth that lay ahead. Obi-Wan skidded to a halt at the edge of a group of dead younglings, the eldest couldn't have been older than 6 years old. That fact alone turned Obi-Wan's stomach they had been all so full of life… He fell to his knees at the sight of the Jedi laying protectively over their cold bodies. _Bant._

Tears flowed freely from both versions of Obi-Wan, the well on his elder self's better controlled damn breaking finally at the tragic brutality of it all. He gathered Bant's body into his arms whilst continuing to sob, crying out for all the memories they held, crying out for his last childhood friend who had left him _alone._ He screamed in defiance at all the senseless violence that surrounded him, yelled out into the empty halls with the agony of each and every fallen Jedi's pain. Obi-Wan had never felt more alone than he had at this point, the dark side clouded the force like never before as the Jedi's bright light was slowly dying out. His older self had seemingly forgotten where he was, or more precisely who was with him. Obi-Wan half expected the Jedi Master to admonish his older self for the open display of emotion, for the lack of control over his murderous feelings towards the clones, towards the Sith. The little Master did none of these things, his own heart evidently thick with grief. He simply laid a gentle claw on Obi-Wan's shoulder and aided him to his feet, pulling him away from the heartbreaking dead in front of them.

"Come, young one. Nothing more can we do here…"

Just as Obi-Wan was about to turn away from his friend's body did he notice something that had been staring him straight in the face, her wounds they weren't blaster wounds. They were made from a light saber.

Master Yoda watched sadly as Obi-Wan started to watch the security footage, seemingly already knowing the terrible truth that Obi-Wan was denying himself. _As if this can get worse…_ He darkly thought, to all intents and purposes his heart had been ripped out trodden on and he was now just a ghost of who he used to be, unwilling to find a purpose to carry on. As Obi-Wan observed the security footage proceedings he realised things were about to get a lot worse…

None other than Chancellor Palpatine stepped forward into view and knelt before him was… _No it can't be, no I can't take this. This is not happening. Anakin._ Obi-Wan had no more tears to give, he was bled dry. He numbingly watched as Anakin, _his apprentice, his brother…_ pledged his allegiance to the dark lord and proceeded to lead the attack on the temple. Obi-Wan reached out a steadying hand to keep himself from crumbling to the floor and refusing to watch anymore, he had to see this through, had to see the ramifications of the future to its full extent. Perhaps he should have listened to Qui-Gon, his Master had been right, this was _too_ much.

Obi-Wan watched in revulsion as the monster that had been his brother butchered Jedi, Padawan's, children… Realisation caught up with him over Bant's light saber wounds, he choked out a haunting sob as the answers became clear. Anakin had murdered Bant, had massacred every single Jedi. _His family_. Obi-Wan finally allowed himself to breakdown as he registered Master Yoda's instructions to his older self, he would have to kill Anakin. Obi-Wan would have to kill his _brother,_ he honestly didn't know if he was capable, the thought of his Anakin the little blue eyed boy sprung to mind and hot tears escaped over the failing, his failing in stopping his Padawan's descent into darkness. He should have done more, stopped Palpatine from meddling, addressed his Padawan's anger issues earlier on. Obi-Wan should have listened to Yoda and the other councillors, the boy was too dangerous and Obi-Wan had foolishly thought he could single-handedly train the chosen one successfully. His arrogance had caused all of this, everything that happened, billions were dead because he failed. His _friends_ were dead because of him, that knowledge alone almost made Obi-Wan give up all together, his trust in everything he once knew wavering violently. How could he go on after losing so much? After being in so much anguish that his heart had already burst? His elder self's change in stature told Obi-Wan he had already answered that question, it was his _duty._

* * *

The smell of burning sulphur filled the smoky air, the murky surroundings whirled into existence even as Obi-Wan's tears slowly cascaded down his cheeks. The bombshell of the last vision and the deadly truth about Anakin… Vader, was almost too much to bear. Obi-Wan found himself loathing the creature that stood in front of him, the monster that had ripped _his_ Padawan to shreds. The monstrosity who had desecrated the symbol of the Jedi slaughtering so many innocents, had tainted Anakin's heart and now swaggered round mockingly in the skin of Anakin Skywalker, _Vader_.

"You have allowed this Dark lord to twist your mind until now… until now you have become the very thing you swore to destroy."

His elder self looked as drained as Obi-Wan felt, he started to circle Ana- _Vader_ , unable to completely keep of all of his emotions from bleeding into the atmosphere. _Betrayal, loss, pity, rage, disbelief, sorrow._ The most prominent seemed to be sorrow, for Vader's first victim, Anakin.

"Don't lecture me, Obi-Wan. I see through the lies of the Jedi. I do not fear the dark side as you do!"

Another victim of Vader's lay at Obi-Wan's feet, Padme. Obi-Wan was unaware of her reemergence in Anakin's life, the force told him the babies she was carrying were Anakin's. Another failure of his it seemed, he hadn't been able to stop Anakin from having an attachment to somebody, throughout the visions he had been shown one failure after another. He was _sick_ of it.

"I have brought peace, freedom, justice and security to my new empire!"

Obi-Wan gawped up at Vader in disbelief, was he really this deluded?

"Your new empire?"

"Don't make me kill you…"

Obi-Wan's older self seemed to be still partly in denial, the force, hatred and conviction behind the voice shocking him slightly. Vader was going to kill him, well in a sense he had already succeeded. He had brutally and viciously murdered everything and anything that Obi-Wan had ever cared about, he had broken his heart.

"Anakin, my allegiance is to the Republic… to democracy!"

"If you're not with me, then you're my enemy."

Obi-Wan could feel the shift in atmosphere as they both prepared for a fight, battle lines already drawn. Obi-Wan drew his saber as Vader's shoulders stiffened, only seconds remained before the fight for the galaxy itself would begin.

"Only a Sith deals in absolutes. I will do what I must."

"You will try…" The resounding impact in the force was astounding as Master and former apprentice started the dance, swift as lightening.

The ensuing duel was brutal and beautiful at the same time, both fighters pushing their own skill to the extreme and beyond, both men sinking deeper and deeper into the force. Vader drew on the dark side solely as he hacked aggressively away at his former Master, crystal blue eyes lost behind the darkness which now clouded them. Obi-Wan drew on the endless reserves of the light side, not willing to give in to the dark's beckoning for him to take vengeance. Here before him was the monster that had _butchered_ those innocent children, had _murdered_ Bant, had taken away Anakin from him.

A close hack to his neck had Obi-Wan's full attention back on the battle, he couldn't allow his mind to wander. Obi-Wan was no fool he was more than aware of Vader's abilities, he had trained him himself and knew exactly how deadly the former Jedi could be, his skills were apparent and with the aggression aiding his power Obi-Wan had to pull out all the stops just to keep the Sith at bay. He had to complete this for Vader's victim's sake, bring this man to justice. The deadly dance raged on as Master and former apprentice rocketed down corridor's, saber's slicing walls, ceilings, everything within a 2 metre radius.

Obi-Wan observed the fight almost detachedly, already having seen far too much to even have the energy to react over the situation. This was worse than anything he could ever imagine, how had it all come to this? Every strike was met with precision, every blow countered with equal force. The two azure saber's melded together like pieces of a puzzle, perfectly balanced by either fighter. It was as if they were fighting themselves, each strike was identical, each attack counter attacked in the same way time and time again. In a way they _were_ fighting themselves or standing in a mirror at least, Obi-Wan had taught Anakin everything he knew, had fought with him side by side on the battle field for years. They knew each other's saber style better than they knew themselves, it was no wonder that neither of them had managed even a close shave, they were far too evenly matched.

Obi-Wan marvelled as the pair even attempted a force push at exactly the same moment, both minds in tune, the power building in the control room was phenomenal. Far above anything Obi-Wan had ever felt in his life, light crashed equally against dark over and over again as each of them pushed harder, strained to be the victor. Eventually both sides let out and crashed against one another, the fine line between them smashing as the opposing forces collided and each fighter was thrown to opposite sides of the room with the same vigour. Perfectly balanced, they were like either side of the same coin.

The battle raged on to perilous landings with lava rocketing all around them, the two fighters ignored it as they delved deeper and deeper into the fight. Lashing out and using their full emotions to their advantage, Vader his aggression and anger, Obi-Wan his sorrow over all lost. Obi-Wan watched as if in a blur as the battle ground continually moved to new heights, each stage more treacherous than the last. Eventually the pair were on the lava river itself, Obi-Wan on one object and Vader on another.

The murderous look Vader was giving him made Obi-Wan shiver involuntarily, he had never imagined seeing such powerful hatred staring at him with Anakin's eyes. Although they were truly Vader's now, that much was clear just by looking into them. Obi-Wan felt the exhaustion radiating off of the pair, both coming to the end of their reserves as they succumbed to the heat and overwhelming emotions. This was to be the last stand, they could both feel the _finality_ in the air.

The ensuing fight was swift and merciless, both aiming for the killing blow but neither being allowed access. Obi-Wan felt hope strangely before he witnessed his older self flip away from the locked saber's to land on the bank of the river, nearly getting his legs sliced off in the process, _that had been a risky move._

"It's over, Anakin… I have the high ground."

Even his voice sounded slightly hoarse, exhaustion seeping in after the gruelling battle. Sweat poured down the Jedi's face as the oppressive heat continued to sap his energy, hair sticking to skin going unnoticed.

"You underestimate my power!"

"Don't try it…" The voice was dangerously close to pleading, wishing Anakin back, resigning to the fact this was Vader.

Obi-Wan could see by the foolish look on Vader's face that this was precisely what the idiot was going to do, in some way Obi-Wan wanted another option, wished for another way that this could end. Deep down he knew however he had to and _would_ do this, strike down Vader and do his duty as he always had.

Vader leapt high above Obi-Wan but as the Jedi had said he had the high ground, his saber swung out at the Sith's legs and seared them straight off. Vader landed in a heap and proceeded to tumble down the bank towards the lava's edge, grunting and grimacing over the pain and shock of loss of limb. He attempted to claw his way back up, away from the unforgiving lava, it was _futile_.

Obi-Wan extinguished his own light saber and finally allowed the inevitable to come, the emotions he had been burying during the battle all coming to the surface. Obi-Wan weeped not for Vader but for the boy he had lost, _for Anakin_.

"You were the chosen one! It was said you would bring balance to the force… not leave it in darkness…"

"I hate you!" Vader screamed, eyes darkened to an awful yellow emanating loathing, Obi-Wan knew he meant every word.

"You were my brother, Anakin… I loved you…" There the dangerous truth finally spilled past his own lips, the deadly recognition of attachment spoken. It was too late, Anakin the intended recipient was not there to hear it, Vader was.

Tears steadily flowed down Obi-Wan's cheeks as Vader slipped further and further towards the lava, memories of their time together playing through his mind. They were _good_ memories, this would not be. If Obi-Wan's heart hadn't already broken he was sure this would have done it, he had always said it he was sure if he saw Anakin's death he wouldn't be able to continue. Standing here above the shell of his best friend Obi-Wan wasn't sure if he could carry on, what was the point of it all?

Hellish screams of agony echoed throughout the landscape as Vader's mutilated body hit the lava, promising to haunt Obi-Wan's days until his own dying breath. He turned away as Vader incinerated, agonisingly painfully as the fire entombed his body. For a moment, just a brief moment Obi-Wan thought he caught the briefest flash of recognition in those eyes, for one fleeting moment thought he witnessed a flicker of change and for one second amongst infinity it was in fact Anakin Skywalker, _burning_.

* * *

The last vision dissolved away into nothingness, Obi-Wan gasped outright at the loss of contact with his Master's mind. He took in large gulp full's of air as his racing heart rate rocketed in his damaged chest, Obi-Wan felt a steadying hand grip his shoulder as he almost keeled over on the spot, in shock over the trauma. He opened his eyes to find himself back in the present, away from all that pain. From Anakin… Obi-Wan felt hot tears cascading down his sobbing face, registered hearing himself still gasping as all the emotions hit him with full blast once more. No wonder why Qui-Gon didn't want him witnessing _that_ future… All in one go no less.

"Easy, Obi-Wan, it's okay you're back. You're here."

Qui-Gon's steady voice helped to ground him, the rock-solid grip on his shoulder moved to rub his back, other arm looping round his shoulders in a one armed embrace. Obi-Wan leaned into it, grateful for the comforting contact. He had been preparing himself for the worse, but _nothing_ could have prepared him for that. So much death, so much agony, and Obi-Wan had _felt_ all of it. Every life being extinguished, the agony of seeing he and Anakin drifting apart and… and… he couldn't even acknowledge what he had just witnessed his Padawan become, the sheer amount of friends lost because of it.

"Not, Anakin, it can't be…" Obi-Wan spluttered, mind numb from the events hopefully believing that the little boy he knew would _never_ turn into _that monster._

"Sidious corrupted him, pushed him further and further away from the Jedi for decades. Away from you…" Qui-Gon's tone was regretful, he gripped Obi-Wan's shoulders harder as if the action would help protect him from the future itself.

Now Obi-Wan could see what Qui-Gon meant when he said _his_ actions, if it hadn't been for his Master, Anakin would have never been trained. He pushed for it against all of the council's wishes, he bestowed him on Obi-Wan even in his dying breaths… Obi-Wan was the true failure though, that much was clear. He let Anakin get away with too much, allowed the boy to be corrupted.

"My Padawan… I…" Speech left him, his mind went blank in shock. No words could begin to describe how he felt, the _agony_ he felt.

"Obi-Wan, you've already seen the seeds of darkness within him. Sidious did too."

He gasped involuntarily as the memory of what Anakin had done to Skepaf came to mind, he remembered feeling the immense power emanating from his Padawan then. The untamed fire. Grief threatened to overwhelm Obi-Wan entirely as floods of tears ran down his cheeks, he had failed the boy so badly, let him be groomed by a Sith Lord, let him fall…

"That is my future?" Obi-Wan finally managed to choke out, when the shock subsided slightly.

"No, Obi-Wan, not now. Don't you see events are already occurring differently. Maybe it was wrong of me to interfere but I could not see that done to you. I couldn't stand it."

They were both silent as the ramifications settled in, it was true events were already occurring differently. In that alternate universe Obi-Wan never met Dooku until he was much older, on the cusp of the clone wars. Nobody ever learned of Sidious' true identity until it was too late, Dooku knew and now Obi-Wan knew. Palpatine. The Chancellor had created the perfect plan, he had seen the potential in Anakin and turned him away from the Jedi, from Obi-Wan bit by bit. Obi-Wan had already taken note in the man's interest in Anakin, every time he had brought it up the boy had gotten defensive stating that they were just friends and that he was a good man. Obi-Wan should have never backed down…

"Are you telling me Anakin must die? I am not doing that, Qui-Gon. Not that little boy, I know him he is not that monster!" He all but yelled the ending, unwilling to sacrifice an innocent 12 year old boy.

Qui-Gon shook his head rigorously, calming Obi-Wan's outburst. He could see what the possible future had done to Obi-Wan's mental state, Obi-Wan and Anakin were so close now. It was almost inconceivable to Obi-Wan that they could grow so distant, that they could end up on opposite sides.

"No he is not yet. The key is Sidious, he got his claws into Anakin early, he has started already, you always felt his relationship with Palpatine was dangerous."

Obi-Wan nodded slowly, bringing his breathing back under control. It was true he had always brushed aside his dislike for Palapatine as being the same as all other politicians, he didn't trust any of them. If he hadn't seen it first hand with his own eyes Obi-Wan would never have believed the chancellor to be the Sith Lord, but the more he thought about it the more it made sense. Who better than he? The Senator had levered himself into position during the Naboo crisis, which he would have obviously set up himself. It was the perfect place to hide, in plain sight.

"The Sith Lord, right under our noses all that time… None of us saw anything, how is that possible?"

He found it extremely hard to believe that not one Jedi noticed the malice or deception from the chancellor before, hadn't picked up on his meddling. He had manufactured the entire war and nobody noticed a thing.

"The dark side clouded all the Jedi, Sidious is extremely powerful and patient. Do you see why it is so important he is stopped?"

Obi-Wan chuckled darkly, patient was an understatement. The Sith had painstakingly waited decades, putting pieces in the right place over the years for the final plan. Playing with the galaxy as if he were moving pieces on a dejarik board.

"Not just him, Dooku is a Sith also." Obi-Wan met his Master's gaze once more, intent on the task that had been placed in front of him by the force, or Qui-Gon, or both. _This is getting confusing…_

"I know, I went to him in hopes that if he could rid the galaxy of Sidious then… well then at least the future would be shifted enough to change."

"Hmm." Obi-Wan mulled over the implications, it did seem that Sidious was the main plotter behind the disaster. With him gone the future would change drastically, for better or for worse they would have to wait and see.

"I never imagined this would happen to you, Obi-Wan, I beg your forgiveness." Qui-Gon's sincerity broke through his own haze, eyes pleading for forgiveness, pleading to see Obi-Wan's acceptance that what he did was what he thought was best.

"You did what you thought was right for the good of the galaxy, there is no need for forgiveness." Obi-Wan laid his hand on his mentor's shoulder as he spoke, he knew Qui-Gon never meant for his and Anakin's captivity and struggles, he only did what was best for innocents. As he always did.

"Oh, my brave Padawan, I only regret that it had to happen this way. You are a faithful servant of the force and you do not deserve this fate." Qui-Gon shook his head slightly and pulled him into an embrace, Obi-Wan always seemed to be the one to get the brunt end of everything the force dished out, and he always took it in his stride.

"Perhaps it's my destiny, I suffer so others can live in freedom."

Qui-Gon pulled back but kept his hands gripped on both of Obi-Wan's shoulders, face morphed into a pained expression over Obi-Wan's theory. Neither of them could discredit it, from the looks of things that was exactly what Obi-Wan was destined to do, and he could live with that, if others' lives were better because of it.

"You deserve a better life than that, Padawan, why do you think I meddled with time itself? I did not do it lightly." Qui-Gon lips twitched slightly as he finished, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"I can see that," Obi-Wan replied with conviction, understanding Qui-Gon's actions and even agreeing with them on some level. Now they just had to ensure their future was not as bad as the one Qui-Gon had recently prevented, the extent of change would be decided by their actions in the coming days.

Qui-Gon pulled his Padawan back into a quick embrace before ruffling his hair affectionately, echoing a past action that always brought an annoyed smile to Obi-Wan's face. It didn't fail to this time. Obi-Wan revelled in the silence for as many moments as he could, acutely aware that his time here was running short again. He could feel his wounds growing wider, the agony increasing as he shifted against Qui-Gon. His physical body seemed to be calling him back once more… He removed himself from the embrace regrettably and looked straight up into Qui-Gon's guilt ridden face, desperate to get this last promise off of his chest before he was forced away.

"Sidious must go. For the good of the galaxy," He managed to splutter out, voice rasping again as his throat seemed to constrict.

"For the good of the galaxy," Qui-Gon muttered in agreement, whilst gripping his Padawan harder as violent hacking coughs overtook his body. Qui-Gon's other arm snaked around Obi-Wan's shoulders as they shook, offering any comfort he could as his Padawan started to struggle for breath, agony becoming too much to remain upright.

Obi-Wan felt himself being lowered onto Qui-Gon's lap, on his side so the struggle with breathing in air to his emptying lungs was less pronounced. He felt himself drifting away from his surroundings as the sounds once again started to feel distant, echoing in his mind slowly until they were nothing. The gentle touch on his body fell away as Obi-Wan's eyes closed and he was dragged back reluctantly to the real world, new found knowledge making his mind up on the next course of action. He just wished Dooku had been able to get to him in time, he couldn't very well give up now he knew what could become of the galaxy, what could become of Anakin. He had a job to do, Obi-Wan was going to stop Darth Sidious…

* * *

 **A/N - As stated in the first author's notes there are a few references in here which you may be overly familiar with. First is the battle of Jablim arc which is novelised in the comics, specifically the republic series issue's 55-60 if you wanted to check them out. Also the entire scene with Siri has been affectively taken from a book called Secrets of the Jedi by Jude Watson, I highly recommend it, it is a very good read.**

 **That's all for this week, now that I'm getting back on schedule the next part should be up next weekend!**

 **Until next time...**


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N - First up I'm sorry for the delay! It turns out having free time after exams still doesn't give me enough time to catch up with everything so quickly! There was so much on my list to do after it all finished that I seem to be busier now...** **Anyways thank you all for the continued support and kind reviews, I was really glad to hear you enjoyed the last chapter, I definitely enjoyed delving into the visions!**

 **We travel back into the present day for this chapter and catch up with a few other characters. Hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

Crackling blue electricity lit up the dark space, illuminating the emotive faces of both of the room's occupant's, the forks of energy spitting and crackling to form an eerie echo. Dooku adorned a satisfied grin as he maliciously increased the ferocity of his attack on the very person who had almost destroyed all of his plans in one fell swoop, Asajj Ventress. The dancing energised power shot from the Count's finger tips to fall upon it's victim, who in turn writhed at his feet in prolonged agony over the assault. The Witch whined and grunted but never screamed out, Dooku had to admire the sheer resolve of such resilience to pain. He knew better than anyone the misery and agony of the power of the dark side, he had been subject to the same treatment by his own Master on more than one occasion.

The thought of Darth Sidious only served to increase Dooku's rage, he envisioned the disgrace of a man before him cowering at his feet instead of Ventress, imagined the old man's howls of outrage and agony as the fiery energy entombed his body causing nerve endings and muscles alike to spasm and burn. He witnessed the once great Sith Lord cower beneath his onslaught, the prolonged and continued barrage of lightening attacks serving to distort the old man's skin as it was scorched and burned. Dooku had never felt such hatred before in his life, never had the ammunition to hold out an attack of such multitude, he knew with Sidious that would not be a problem. He would continue his battering of his old Master until nothing more than a shrivelled shell lay at his feet, all traces of the Sith Lord obliterated by his hand. The vision gave him great pleasure until the spell broke and disappointingly it was once more only the Witch writhing at his feet.

Dooku had seen his own future, Qui-Gon had shown him what could have been if things were allowed to continue. The Count was not prepared to serve his Master faithfully for the man to stab him in the back and take on the snivelling poor excuse of a Jedi that Skywalker was. No, he was going to strike first before his treacherous Master put his own plans into place, Dooku would be all powerful not Sidious.

With a sigh Dooku allowed his arm to drop to his side, inevitably drained of the energy and power required to sustain such a hateful act. The room was filled with the gasping sounds of Ventress as she strove to compose herself and bring the levels of pain under enough control to rise. It had been long overdue that Ventress felt the distaste he felt for her meddling, the pure hatred and immense anger he felt over her actions with Kenobi. Whilst all was not forgiven and her ultimate fate was already set in stone, this action at least had accomplished what other means could not, bringing him joy. Witnessing the Witch twitching and sprawled on the floor as the currents continued to race through her system had brought him more happiness than anything in his life. He knew there was only one thing which would exceed this, seeing his Master in the exact same position, at his _mercy._

Dooku observed impassively, without emotion as Ventress managed to pick herself up shakily to her feet, clothes charred and skin burnt where the forks of lightening had made contact. Her eyes shone with pain, not just the physical pain of the merciless and brutal attack but the misery and sorrow of disappointing him. Little did the Witch know her fate was already sealed, her meddling and misguided actions would only serve to cause her a more agonising death, it was no less than she deserved. Ventress had dissatisfied him at every turn and yet she was still deluded enough to think that she had a future with him, she would _never_ stand by his side.

Ventress waited obediently on his next actions, struggling to remain standing as the shock to her system finally caught up with her, nerves twitched without notice as the lasting effects of the punishment still coursed through her veins. Frankly the Dathomir Witch was lucky he hadn't killed her, she deserved much worse than this however and she would get it as soon as he had no more uses for her of course. Obedience was a very important trait to have if somebody wanted to be in Dooku's company, he could not allow such reckless actions to go unpunished so he hadn't.

"If you dare to disobey me again, Ventress, it will be the last thing you ever do." His voice was low and held a dangerous edge, from the flash of panic in her eyes Dooku knew that she could sense his sincerity on the matter not to mention the joy he had felt with her sprawled at his feet.

He turned his back on her, effectively dismissing the Witch from his presence, he knew if she didn't leave soon then he wouldn't be able to restrain himself from killing her right now. As much as that would bring unbelievable relief and elation he would undoubtedly regret it afterwards, Dooku could wait. He _would_ wait, and when the inevitable happened it would be thrice as delicious.

Dooku heard the muttered response of 'Yes, Master' followed by the scampering movement of Ventress evacuating the room as quickly as she could, she was petrified of his rage and quite rightly so. Dooku had it within him to kill the Witch at a moment's notice, her death would not bring him any sort of sorrow quite the opposite in fact. He was sure she had noticed this certainty when his deadly glare bore into her own and for a brief second panic filled her usual steady eyes.

His attention moved from Ventress and back to the reason he had started all of his plans in the first place, Obi-Wan. He flicked the screen on which held the feed for the ship's med-bay, the droids had assured him that the young Jedi's injuries were no longer life threatening and he would make a full recovery given more treatment and rest. It had been touch and go for some time however, _far too close_.

On the security feed Dooku noted that Obi-Wan was still submerged in the gooey red substance known as bacta, it would be his second dunking in the messy liquid whilst under Dooku's care and he was determined to make it Obi-Wan's last. Dooku could not afford for Obi-Wan to be injured any further if he were to stand alongside him against Sidious, the young man had so much potential it was time it was harnessed and unleashed in the right way.

He hoped the treatment would be over soon so that Kenobi would awake, they had much to discuss. The illuminating conversation earlier was so rudely interrupted, it was a shame really as it was going so well and Dooku was almost certain that Obi-Wan was ready to accept his new fate. He only hoped Obi-Wan's hatred for Ventress over the brutal attack proved to help speed up his fall, anger was the fastest path to the dark side and Kenobi was certainly a fair way along that path now.

Something caught Dooku's eye on another screen which had been set to monitor news bursts, he wanted eyes in as many corners of the galaxy as possible to hopefully foresee any threats to his plans, whether that be the Jedi or the Chancellor himself. Dooku's brows furrowed as he read the latest news, stomach dropping as the implications set in, this was most inopportune indeed.

'Chancellor Palpatine has disappeared…'

The bold words scrolled across the screen time and time again as various reporters closed in on the senate in any attempts to get the inside scoop. Dooku's heart leapt into his throat as the awful realisation became known, Palpatine _knew_ of his plans and was taking pre-emptive action of his own. Intense loathing threatened to take over Dooku entirely as he realised all of his plans could be for nothing, he had clearly underestimated how quickly the dark lord would come to this realisation and prepare a defence against his own apprentice.

It seemed his plans would be have to be fast-tracked, he could not very well wait much longer before confronting the Sith Lord, Sidious could not be allowed to gain strength anymore and any attempts at gaining allies would have to be quashed immediately. This was not the most opportune time for Dooku to strike, he had hoped for more time with Kenobi, more time to solidify his fate. He would simply have to make the best of the situation at hand, he could delay no longer.

With that thought in mind Dooku swirled out of the room at a brisk pace heading for his future apprentice in the med-bay, new plans already forming in his mind. There was one thing Dooku was certain of, the force itself did not lie and had shown him the end of Sidious, he very much looked forward to the moment the old man's life left his eyes.

Dooku would cause the destruction and fall of Darth Sidious, and Obi-Wan would be standing by his side as he did, in his rightful place as Dooku's apprentice.

* * *

Obi-Wan's ascension back to consciousness was not a pleasant one, the agony he felt in the dream state was only a fraction of what waited for him in the real world. His muddled brain vaguely registered the remnants of painkillers circulating his blood stream, barely taking the edge off of the aflame nerve endings. Everything hurt, everything _burned_. The thought brought back unwanted flashes to the forefront of his mind, the burning bodies of countless dead Jedi, the burning remains of Anakin…

His eyes shot open before the thought and image could fully form in his mind, he had to stay objective right now he couldn't let those images of a possible future cloud his thinking. That was not the way things would go if he could stop them, he could do as Qui-Gon wanted and stop a terrible future from taking place, he could save _billions_ of lives.

It only took a few seconds for Obi-Wan to place his surroundings he had been here once already after all, the med-bay. The remnants of bacta clung to his skin, his hair and once more assaulted the Jedi Knight's nostrils. The more he came to his senses strangely the less misery his body seemed to be in, the reason why soon became apparent as he noted an I.V. line attached to his arm which was currently pumping his body with more painkillers, it was definitely a welcome feeling.

His vision stayed blurry for a few more moments as his inner thinking finally caught up with surroundings and for the first time in hours Obi-Wan could feel the force, waiting for him as if he never left. He basked in the currents, breathed in the familiar feeling, one thing was for sure he was never going to take access to the force for granted again, _never._

Revelling in the familiar currents brought even more relief, releasing pain into the force made the maddening agony decrease to a low enough level that Obi-Wan actually felt he could move his limbs. Unlike his first visit to this section of the ship, his arms and legs were not strapped down. In fact he had been made quite comfortable and had once again been placed in a new set of lightweight tunics, it was certainly pleasurable being back in clean clothes again. Into tunics that were free of slashes and blood stains, free from the ghastly memories of his last meeting with Ventress.

 _Ventress_ … She had almost ruined everything that he had been working for, almost eradicated the only chance the galaxy had. Obi-Wan wondered for some time whether Dooku had allowed the Witch to live before his new found connection with the force answered that question for him, he had. It also answered his next burning question of Dooku's whereabouts, it seemed the Count was heading straight for his location, it was time Obi-Wan prepared himself for the upcoming deception.

The Sith's signature in the force tainted everything in a nearby radius, it was effortless to see how close the man was to his position now that Obi-Wan had access to the force once more. It was like a raging storm destroying all in its path, the wrath like waves crashing against the force itself as the ex-Jedi raged onwards. Obi-Wan prepared himself for the entrance as Dooku closed in on the med-bay, he could already sense the impatience and strangely enough anxiousness. Obi-Wan furrowed his brows over the new information, the Count was certainly not ruffled this easily, _well not to this level of nervousness anyway._

Seconds later the man himself swept into the med-bay, cloak billowing behind him as he strode purposefully into the room. Obi-Wan met his gaze immediately not willing to shrink from the dissecting stare that was directed at him, it seemed Dooku was testing whether his thoughts from the last meeting still stood. They did, well for the sake of fooling Dooku they did anyway. It only took the Count a few strides before he was at Obi-Wan's side, hand reaching out to rest against his forehead. Obi-Wan resisted the urge to flinch away from the touch realising he needed Dooku to believe he trusted him, he instead simply allowed the Sith access to his mind as he needed. Obi-Wan locked away his own deceiving memories in the deepest recess' of his mind, Dooku could not be allowed to see his knowledge of the visions and Qui-Gon or his upcoming plan for that matter.

The scan was brief thankfully as Dooku withdrew his arm and opened his eyes once more, softening slightly as they met Obi-Wan's. It seemed the Count was pleased with Obi-Wan's healing process for the moment, something he had sensed was Dooku's sigh of relief over his improved condition. _What could have the immovable Count on edge like this?_ It really was a conundrum, a problem that Obi-Wan wanted answered.

Dooku stepped back a few paces to eye up the various charts and screens hooked up to monitor Obi-Wan's vital functions, Obi-Wan mused he must have been in a serious condition to warrant such monitoring and close scrutiny.

"I apologise you ended up in this force forsaken place again, trust me the guilty party has been punished accordingly."

Dooku's gaze once again fell upon him, Obi-Wan understood the response the Count was expecting and started to get into character. Dooku was obviously waiting on a flippant angry answer, expecting negative emotion's to cloud Obi-Wan's thinking.

"You mean you killed her slowly?" He lowered his tone to lose the usual warmth and even added an edge of malice to it to finish off the performance.

It somehow still felt wrong to deceive it went against everything in his very nature, but this was what had to be done and he _would_ do it. Dooku at least seemed to be playing into his projected anger, well it wasn't all too hard to pretend loathing for Ventress. She had given him plenty of reasons to hate her, Obi-Wan had come to terms with those reasons though it was all in the past for him.

"I'm afraid not yet, Obi-Wan." Dooku chuckled darkly, amused by Obi-Wan's flippancy. "As much as Ventress deserves such a fate she is still needed."

 _Well, that answers the question as to why Ventress is still breathing then_ , Obi-Wan mused. The question now remained was why was the Witch still needed? After more silence he realised Dooku was expecting something more from him, another display of loss of emotions perhaps. Very well, he would play the part as well as he could, Obi-Wan allowed his heart rate to rise a notch or two and simulated the rest of the necessary natural responses Dooku was expecting.

"Hmm…" Obi-Wan winced slightly as he levered himself to sit upright, focusing on projecting as much hatred as he could muster.

Obi-Wan witnessed a smile pull at Dooku's lips the ex-Jedi seemed to be picking up the subtle changes in Obi-Wan's body chemistry, of course Obi-Wan had learned long ago how to alter one's temperature and heart rate it was a simple matter of biology. Thankfully Dooku was taking this to be reality just as Obi-Wan intended, even the monitor started to beep at an increased pace as it picked up the escalating Jedi's heartbeat.

"You're angry at her."

Obi-Wan's bright blue eyes were once again lost behind an explosive rage, the machines shrilled until he viciously ripped out the electrodes, the performance was topped off when he started to imitate that he was short of breath. He allowed his breathing to slow to such a pace that the very action of in taking oxygen had turned into a wrathful act, as if he was struggling to control his rage which of course was exactly what he wanted Dooku to think.

"Of course I'm angry at her!" He bellowed allowing his temper to explode into the force surrounding him, equipment went flying and vials cracked sending all forms or liquids catapulting in every direction.

Dooku remained silent as he subtly backed away a few paces but Obi-Wan could already detect a slight smirk forming on his face, he could detect the elder man's pleasure without even having to scour deeply. Dooku was pleased with the turn of events, it seemed Obi-Wan's hatred for Ventress was serving his purpose nicely.

"I want that Witch dead… I want to watch the light leave her eyes as I slowly, agonisingly take her life away. It's no less than what she deserves!"

His voice shook as he yelled, drowning in the swell of emotions. Obi-Wan was sure if he were an outsider looking on the scene he wouldn't even be able to recognise himself, it was truly terrifying what could happen to a person if they let emotions rule them, this mission had shown Obi-Wan parts of himself that he never knew existed let alone wanted to see.

Dooku revelled in the supposed sincerity of Obi-Wan's threat, imagining the same fate for Ventress himself.

"You will have your time, Obi-Wan, believe me. For now however there is something which trumps all of these obstacles, something that exceeds even our own desires, duty."

"Duty?"

"Darth Sidious. He is planning a defensive action as we speak, I had hoped to keep our plans secret for as long as possible but somehow he has foreseen what is coming. We must stop him, Obi-Wan."

Obi-Wan forced his still rocketing heart rate to lower, taking control once more of his body. The time for such unchecked anger was over now that the conversation was changing direction, Obi-Wan was thankful it was certainly a relief to not have to project that much hatred. Anything less and Dooku would have been skeptical, better to have the man overconfident it was his weakness and blinded him to Obi-Wan's true intentions.

At the mention of the Sith Lord's name, Obi-Wan now realised why he had sensed such a rise in anxiousness on Dooku's part, his plans were slowly unravelling. Of course this meant the Count would have to fast track his plans, Obi-Wan thought he would have more time to recover or train at least but it seemed fate was pushing the fateful battle forward.

"Why now? I am not in the best condition to be battling a Sith Lord!"

The slight grimace Obi-Wan caught morphing the Count's features informed him that Dooku also did not want to be dealing with things so soon. The scan that Dooku had performed earlier now also too made sense as well as his reaction to Obi-Wan's quick recovery, Dooku was relying on Obi-Wan to be ready for what was to come. Obi-Wan knew it wasn't just the Count that was relying on him, the fate of the future was also. It was a surprise that this great weight didn't already plague his thoughts on a more regular basis, it was imperative he did not allow it to though, the task was impossible enough without having that knowledge reminding him of it every few minutes.

"If we do not strike now the moment will be lost, he is cunning, devious and will stop at nothing to watch his plans come to fruition. It is now or never, Obi-Wan."

Obi-Wan realised he would have to give everything he had in the forthcoming hours, healing himself would be priority number one. He was still at a loss over why Dooku believed he would have any advantage over the Sith Lord with Obi-Wan by his side, he was hardly at his best and just one man after all.

 _'He's seen what your destiny is, seen the role you play and wants you by his side, as his apprentice.'_

Qui-Gon's voice drifted to him through the force, Obi-Wan nearly jumped at the sudden re-emergence of his old Master's voice, decades of training however had his face remain passive as if nothing had happened. He heard a slight chuckle reach him as well, _Very funny, Master_ he thought back. Well at least one of them was finding humour in the situation…

"That doesn't change the fact that I am injured, no thanks to your _pet._ How do you expect us to prevail in such dire circumstances? If this dark lord is so powerful then how are we supposed to succeed?"

"You have no idea what your power could be, Obi-Wan, I've seen it, witnessed just a slither of your ability. If you allow me to guide you together we can unlock your full potential and finally set your true skill free!"

It was just the ramblings of a mad man, that didn't stop Obi-Wan from thinking that Dooku was talking about more than just their duel. He too had been shown the same visions of the future that Obi-Wan had seen, he had witnessed the power that Obi-Wan had wielded and that was serving the light side. As Dooku was deluded he thought with the aid of the darkness, Obi-Wan could take that raw power and transform into something infinitely more powerful all together.

Of course Obi-Wan couldn't let on that he thought the Count's ramblings were what he thought, just deluded babbling words. No, he had to make Dooku believe that his talk excited him, the prospect of being all powerful motivating all of his actions to come.

He decided to test the waters, test how much Dooku trusted him at this point and if he would tell him the truth or do as he had so far and divert the subject.

"Who is Darth Sidious?"

Dooku stilled for a moment, shoulders stiffening as he kept his back to Obi-wan, realisation dawning on him that Obi-Wan would only accept an honest answer, before it turned into acceptance as he realised this was indeed the right time for the revelation.

"Chancellor Palpatine."

Dooku spun round from where he had halted to stare intently into Obi-Wan's features, registering any subtle change in Obi-Wan's body language which would confirm that the news had indeed come as a complete shock to him. Obi-Wan of course obliged and transformed his features slowly to imitate disbelief followed by outright shock and revulsion as the news sank in and finally ended up in disbelief. It wasn't the hardest part of the performance so far as he had already gone through the shock of the revelation, he even started shaking his head slowly as the force itself confirmed that Dooku's words rang true.

Dooku's grin widened as he observed Obi-Wan's realisation and disgust come to the forefront, followed deliciously by promises of vengeance.

"You must see the Jedi have no hope of stopping this all they do is talk, they do not do what is needed."

Even though almost 100% of the Count's words were deluded, Obi-Wan did have to admit that here the ex-Jedi did have some sort of point. He knew they would never believe or even comprehend everything that Qui-Gon had shown him, not without a long time to discuss it first by which time it would be too late. That didn't mean Dooku had the right idea, quite the opposite in fact, Obi-Wan had already decided to follow the will of the force in this case so that was exactly what he was going to do.

"I know…"

Dooku moved in for the kill, the final push to start Obi-Wan's partnership with him. His hand reaching out to grip Obi-Wan's arm to enforce the words with a not so subtle force suggestion, the suggestion of course crashed and broke against Obi-Wan's adamantine shields but the Count need not know that.

"It's down to you, Obi-Wan, stand by my side and together we can save the galaxy, it was what you were born to do. It is your destiny…"

Obi-Wan didn't say a word in acknowledgement, he didn't have to. His silence in the matter, no objection over Dooku's words served as acceptance in itself. The ex-Jedi's unbounded joy lit up the room until he managed to get a control of the emotion, quashing it ruthlessly but still leaving a smile sticking to his face. He nodded once fondly looking down upon his new apprentice before swirling out of the med-bay at a brisk pace, a lighter spring in his step over the great turn of events.

Obi-Wan intently watched him go, not releasing the breath he had been subconsciously been holding in until Dooku had retreated to a fair distance away. The man had played into his subterfuge far better than Obi-Wan had expected, he imagined the impending threat of Sidious also served to throw the Count's perceptions of balance.

Without a further moment wasted Obi-Wan began to sink deeply into the force, intent on capitalising on the time alone to heal as much of his wounds as he could. He must have been in the bacta for a fair amount of time as once again it had worked miracles on the most life threatening injuries, now it was time to strengthen himself as much as he could within the force to prepare for the upcoming events. He could feel the imminence of the events as a warning the moment he started to drift into the familiar currents, the stark dangers of the future screaming through to him.

The deeper he fell into the meditative state the more his long lost connection with the force opened up, he felt each and every sentient life source in the area, felt the turbulent emotions emanating from Ventress most likely and felt a very familiar presence. He recognised Anakin's signature immediately and almost recoiled as the voice pushing against his own shields brought back some rather unpleasant flashes. ' _I hate you!_ '

The memory caused him to lock down the connection, ruthlessly blocking the persistent attempts from his Padawan. Obi-Wan couldn't allow Anakin to see what he had, he couldn't. Those images would _destroy_ his Padawan for good, it was down to Obi-Wan to bear the brunt of them, carry them until he passed into the force himself he had foolishly insisted on seeing them after all. He couldn't allow his Padawan back inside his mind whilst the memories were still swimming around, the fact that one had just surfaced because of hearing the boy's voice was a good indicator that he was not ready to allow the young apprentice access to his mind yet.

Burying the guilt over rejecting Anakin deep inside of him, Obi-Wan sank into a healing trance and set about preparing himself for the immense trials ahead, _force help me._

* * *

Siri Tachi rooted herself to the bridge's dura-steel floor as another shockwave lurched throughout the ship, _we don't have time for this…_ She thought to herself. She and her Padawan Ferus had been investigating into Obi-Wan's abduction as per the council's request, although Siri would have been out here regardless of what the Council ordered. Obi-Wan was too important for an order to stop her from doing everything in her power to rescue him, this was also the primary reason she had been having trouble keeping a check on her growing rage as another delay was stopping their tracks.

They had run into an ion storm en route to check out a new lead on Dooku's location, it had forced them to pull out of hyper-space or run the risk of being pulled apart. Thankfully they were more or less through the worst of it and the captain had informed her they would be able to re-enter hyper-space in a few more minutes. Patience however was not one of Siri's strong points especially when it came to the safety of her friends, _oh Ben…_ She clamped down the perilous thoughts before they could fully come to fruition, she and Obi-Wan had been close once _more_ than close. Of course their oath and duty came first so the pair had parted ways and vowed to never talk of the whole affair ever again, this had regrettably caused a rift in their once rock-solid friendship. Forgetting about those feelings had been more impossible than she could ever have imagined, even to this day Siri held a place for Obi-Wan in her heart, she always would.

She was interrupted from her musings as a crew member informed her of an urgent message, she raced over to the relevant console and accepted the incoming transmission. It soon became clear she wasn't the only one in on the call.

"Master Tachi, we've been attempting to contact you." The baritone tenor belonging to Master Windu travelled across the airwaves as multiple holograms turned to greet the newcomer.

"I apologise, Master, we've been stuck in an ion storm and communications have been a little sketchy." Her frustration must have seeped through to stain her voice even though she strove to keep it out, as Mace gave her a knowing look before continuing.

"We've found Dooku."

The words almost served to bowl her over completely, her limbs felt unsteady for a while as Mace's declaration sunk in, _Obi-Wan._

"Where?" Siri frankly didn't care if she appeared to impatient for a Jedi at this point, she would deal with repercussions and allow herself to be lectured on the finer points of Jedi etiquette as soon as Obi-Wan and his Padawan were rescued.

"The maw cluster." Another Jedi stepped forward and answered, Siri was not familiar with many of the faces staring back at her through the hologram. It seemed the Council had put all of its resources into the search and it looked as though it had paid off.

Siri thought the location was odd, there was nothing of consequence that far out. W _hy had Dooku chosen that spot?_ Many of the Jedi teams had been scouring the space near Dooku's home-world, Serenno, that was the most logical place for the Count to retreat to, where he had allies.

"It seems Dooku has kept himself moving through the galaxy, only stopping off to refuel. He wanted to throw off any attempts at tracking by not staying in a location for a lengthly amount of time," Mace explained.

"Clever…" Siri mused before spinning to inform the captain of the change in plans, now they knew Obi-Wan's location they had to get there fast before Dooku moved too far away.

"Master Tachi, you and Ferus are the closest team we have to Dooku, I will send through the exact coordinates but you must wait for reinforcements before you engage him."

Mace had leaned forward and was now intently talking to her, all trace of warmth gone as the seriousness took over his tone. Siri recognised this as his council voice, he had indeed picked up on her urgency to get underway. Siri did not know if she could promise what he was asking, if she was that close to Obi-Wan, Dooku could escape at any moment…

"I understand, Master," She ground out through gritted teeth, fully intending on going for Obi-Wan as soon as she reached his position. How was she expected to wait when he and Anakin were in danger? Especially if Dooku had the chance to get away, she could never forgive herself if Dooku was within her clutches and she _let_ him go.

Mace was evidently not fooled, if the dangerous level of his narrowing eyes was anything to go by anyway. They did not have the time for an argument over orders and everyone knew it, with visible effort Mace straightened again and sent through the coordinates. Siri caught the warning look he gave her she understood the meaning plainly, they would be having a _very long_ talk when this was all over. Siri could deal with the backlash later she always did, for now though she would do what she must.

"May the force be with you," they all automatically responded before the transmission was cut.

Siri strolled over to the main deck with the precise position of Dooku's ship, it didn't take longer than a few seconds for the new trajectory to be calculated and then they were underway, the space around the ship warping as they accelerated into hyper-drive. Finally they were heading in the right direction, they had been given a solid lead. This was excellent news, one step closer to Obi-Wan…

* * *

Anakin had been trying to make contact with Obi-Wan ever since the Jedi had been dragged away by Dooku, well _dragged_ was a hopeful word to use, his Master had voluntarily gone with the mad-man. He had drifted into the force's currents and attempted to make contact with Obi-Wan again, willing their bond to become active once more so he could communicate with the elder man and talk some sense into him. Obi-Wan's recent behaviour was quite frankly worrying, the longer Obi-Wan spent with Dooku the worse it was going to get.

That was why Anakin Skywalker was at the edge of the force field again, intent on getting the blasted thing open so he could get to his Master and get them out of this whole mess. As he worked on the wiring in the wall, clamping different currents and monitoring any changes in the structure of the security field, Anakin also spent the time reaching out to Obi-Wan in an attempt to scrounge any information he could as to the elder Jedi's whereabouts.

As he worked Anakin's mind was often assaulted with flashes of unthinkable agony, distressing emotions and the most distressing feeling Anakin had ever experienced in his life, it felt like Obi-Wan's heart was breaking in two. Each time he was dispelled from the edges of their bond, from the sheer weight of emotions crashing against the edges, he tried time and time again to reconnect apprehension over what he would find weighing down heavily on his own heart.

He managed to catch brief flashes of Obi-Wan's predicament, the overwhelming grief and revulsion puzzled him. What could Obi-Wan possibly be experiencing that would cause him to react in such a way?

He no longer had the ability to keep track of time as he soldiered on with his task, it could have been hours since Obi-Wan had been taken from him, time always felt relative when one was engrossed in the force. Finally he heard the what seemed distant sound of the force field wavering, he heard mechanical components wining as they strove to compensate from the loss in power to the other sections, being forced to work overtime as Anakin had found and successfully cut off a power source.

He felt the grey tendrils clinging to his and Obi-Wan's bond start to unfurl, the connection was slowly coming back to life in his mind, it was invigorating. Anakin attempted to keep part of his mind on the task with the force field whilst with the other sought out Obi-Wan in an attempt to make a connection. He started by speaking at a normal level but when his efforts were quashed rose to almost a shout, he managed to connect with Obi-Wan's mind for one blissful second before he was sent hurtling out of the connection brutally.

Anakin's eyes shot open as he worked to ground himself back in the here and now, his Master had _forced_ him out of his mind. _Why would he do that?_ He did not let himself focus on his insecurities for any longer, Anakin could hear clearly now how close the force field was to failing. He reached out into the circuits and picked up where he left off, not allowing emotion to cloud his thinking for Obi-Wan's sake.

Moments later he was rewarded with a groaning sound as the mechanical components were starved of their power supply, everything seemed to ground to a halt and one heart-stopping moment later the force field disappeared into nothing.

"Wizard!" He muttered enthusiastically, wait until he told Obi-Wan that he had actually manipulated the electronics with the force!

Anakin stepped out of the cell cautiously, hoping that his meddling with the security field wouldn't set off any internal alarms. He reached out into the force to check on his location, it didn't seem there were any changes in anyone's pace or any other indicator that his escape was being monitored. He reached out further in search of Obi-Wan's presence, it wasn't hard to find.

To Anakin's surprise when he followed their bond he found what he always had, a presence so bright it practically blinded others around him. It was simply a shock because of the events of the last day, the ever growing darkness scouring Obi-Wan's soul didn't seem to exist anymore. The lack of darkness was a welcome surprise even if it was shocking, he would have to ask his Master precisely what in the force was going on when he caught up with him.

So with one more thorough scan of the surroundings to make sure his path would be uninterrupted, Anakin set off towards Obi-Wan's location at a brisk jog. He simply couldn't keep the grin of his face over the thoughts of a reunion, then they just simply had to find a way to get out from under Dooku's clutches. How hard could that be?

* * *

 **A/N - So the boys are finally catching a break and the Jedi are on their way! Things are never that simple though are they?... :)**

 **I'm afraid there will be another week and a bit's break until the next chapter as I am travelling for a week, I am dutifully working on the next segment though and will have it ready A.S.A.P.**

 **Until next time...**


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N - I'm back! So yeah sorry about the longer than usual wait but I have been away travelling for a while, now that I'm back my main focus is writing for the short time so the schedule should be getting back on track :)**

 **Thank you to everyone who reviewed, including the guest reviews which I can't reply to personally. They mean a lot to me as always :)**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

In the bottomless depths of the force Obi-Wan Kenobi remained entrenched in a fathomless healing trance, in the infinity that was the light. His mind remained separate from the corporeal world as he drew on the strength and allowed his body to be filled with it. Every nerve ending, each single cell absorbed the magnificent energy, his body was _full_ with it. By the time Obi-Wan resurfaced from the taxing task his entire body was drowning in the force's currents, instead of being dragged down by the weight he felt a great deal lighter than he ever had. His _soul_ felt lighter.

It took a few moments for Obi-Wan to ground himself back into the real world, bring his limbs back to life and allow his heart rate to increase to a normal pace once more. His entire body felt tingly as the lasting effects of prolonged force use clung to his muscles, to his mind. As he reconnected with the present moment Obi-Wan felt a very familiar presence pressing urgently on his mind, Anakin.

The urgency of the tapping on his mind made up Obi-Wan's mind about reopening the connection, now he had more time to balance himself he was sure he could keep the damaging memories away from his Padawan. He allowed the adamantine strength blocks on their greyed out bond to fall away and slowly but surely Anakin's panicked voice screamed through to his own.

' _Master! Master!_ '

' _Anakin, I can hear you there's no need to shout._ ' Obi-Wan winced as the yelling from his apprentice caused the awful banging in his head to increase to a painful magnitude.

' _Sorry it's just you weren't responding,_ ' The boy replied quickly, voice now laced with enthusiasm and joy over the new found contact.

Before Obi-Wan actually replied he suddenly noticed the glaring obvious, Anakin was on the move. Intense panic started to well up inside of his body, his heart leapt into his throat as the possibly deadly implications set in. Did Dooku know? What was he doing with Anakin? Evidently his rise in panic over the deduction travelled through to his apprentice as the boy quickly answered his demanding queries.

' _I escaped, Master!'_ Obi-Wan's monumental joy over his Padawan's ingenuity was short-lived as his apprentice continued. ' _I'm coming to get you free as well.'_

' _What?! Anakin, no. You have to get out of here!_ ' Obi-Wan hissed back urgently to the wayward apprentice, willing the boy to do as he was told for once in his life.

Obi-Wan glanced anxiously around the med-bay in hopes that his reaction hadn't been picked up by the medical droids, thankfully they seemed to be oblivious to his shocked reaction and carried on with their various tasks.

Of course Anakin Skywalker did no such thing, Obi-Wan caught the gist of his apprentice's thoughts even though they never fully formed into a sentence, he refused to leave his Master behind. His Padawan did not respond but he didn't have to for Obi-Wan to know he was refusing to listen, the bright presence he had grown to know the past few years was swiftly converging on the med-bay. _When would that boy ever learn?_

Obi-Wan managed to sit up and swing his legs over the edge of the bed without moaning or wincing too much, the wounds that had been ailing his body had now been mostly healed and the misery of moving was nowhere near the same dizzying heights as hours previously. The droids fussed over his movements and went to communicate for some assistance, he crushed them all with a single grasping action before any could report on the change in events, before the inevitable arrival of his disobedient apprentice.

He couldn't really lay the blame solely on Anakin's shoulder's, the boy still believed his Master was succumbing to the dark side so would of course do everything in his power to get them both out of the clutches of Dooku. The real question was why wasn't Dooku aware of Anakin's escape? He felt outwards into the force and detected the Count's presence on what appeared to be the bridge of the ship, with no change in his state of mind. This confirmed that the ex-Jedi had no inkling of Anakin's escape, he would not be as calm as he was if he had.

He had just about managed to climb shakily to his feet as the med-bay doors' crashed open in an impressive show of force manipulation to admit one very excited looking Padawan. Anakin bounded into the room eyes wild whilst scanning for any threats before a wide grin adorned his features as he locked eyes with his Master. Obi-Wan too allowed a smile pull at his lips despite the blatant disregard for orders, it certainly was good to see his Padawan again in one piece. The smile however was obliterated from his face as he stared straight into Anakin's eyes, _Vader's eyes_.

A chill descended on his skin and the smell of burning Sulphur suddenly seemed to assault his nostrils as the bright lighting of the med-bay dropped away, only to be replaced by a scene he _never_ wanted to see again. As he stared into Anakin's bright blue eyes instead of seeing him where he was in the here and now, Obi-Wan imagined the little boy on a faraway world in a time drowning in evil.

The scene augmented into a harrowing recent memory, his Padawan was writhing on the floor screaming hoarsely as flames licked against his skin. Anakin Skywalker's pain wracked eyes pleaded for his Master to end the agony, end the excruciating misery he was in. Obi-Wan stumbled back from the sheer realty of the image he was witnessing, the charred remains of the bright-eyed boy lay at his feet, the once clear blue eyes of his Padawan now unseeing and lifeless.

"Master!"

Obi-Wan scrambled away as a strong grip caught hold of his arm, causing the terrifying vision to fade out of existence. He blinked once or twice before his sight focused and the calming backdrop of the med-bay thankfully warped into existence. Obi-Wan felt extremely faint, his skin white as a sheet as if he had seen a ghost, in some ways he had.

Anakin guided his Master to sit back on the medical stretcher, brows furrowed in apprehension and full blown worry over Obi-Wan's change in behaviour. Obi-Wan clamped his eyes and mind shut whilst he worked to center himself once again, the simple act of _seeing_ Anakin had unsettled him to a higher level than anything he could have ever imagined. Obi-Wan could not allow those memories to resurface again, he _wouldn't_ allow it.

Anakin meanwhile had grabbed a cup of water to give to Obi-Wan, who gratefully took it with shaky hands and sipped whilst still striving to balance himself in the immovable force. He only risked opening his mind and bond with his Padawan once the dangerous emotions and memories were locked down tight. Obi-Wan looked up into the anxious eyes of Anakin Skywalker as the boy waited patiently for Obi-Wan to recover. What must he look like to his apprentice now?

"What did he do to you?" The query was barely more than a whisper, the young voice threatening to crack with emotion as he took in his Master's new scars and general haggard appearance.

Obi-Wan sighed before placing a comforting arm on Anakin's shoulder, squeezing affectionately in an attempt to calm the boy's frazzled emotions.

"Nothing, Padawan, this was all the work of Ventress."

Obi-Wan could feel the spike of anger from his apprentice clearly, thankfully his Padawan had learnt from past mistakes and released the unwanted emotion into the force. The entire action made Obi-Wan immensely proud and he let it show on all of his features, this deemed to actually help thaw some of the ice surrounding the pair as Anakin effectively leapt into his arms, limbs clinging around his Master's neck unwilling to let go ever again.

Obi-Wan grunted as the full brunt of his Padawan slammed into him almost taking the pair of them toppling over the edge of the precarious medical cot, Anakin noted the discomfort and immediately adjusted his grip to alleviate the awkwardness for Obi-Wan. He was very grateful for it. He allowed himself a full minute just to rejoice in the contact with Anakin, just a few moments where nothing else mattered in the galaxy. Of course as with all good things they had to come to an end, it was time he and Anakin resurface into the real world and the almighty mess they were still in.

"I thought I ordered you to get the blazes out of here, Padawan."

Anakin pulled back without even the slightest hint of regret or shame gracing his features, he stood there rooted in his conviction that he had made the right decision.

"And I told you, Master, I'm not leaving you."

Obi-Wan glared sternly at his apprentice as the boy continued to stand there, unmoving. This boy could definitely be stubborn when he wanted to be, they would have to have words when the duo got out of here. That was when realisation dawned on Obi-Wan, even though he could foresee Anakin's escape he could not say the same for himself. It was of no consequence to him really, as long as his Padawan was safe. That was all that mattered.

He had already resolved to listen and follow the will of the force when acting on the future, and the force was now telling him to get Anakin the _blazes_ of this ship and out of the clutches of Dooku. Obi-Wan was no fool he knew exactly what Dooku planned for his Padawan, had experienced the immense distaste the ex-Jedi held for the boy. Dooku wanted to see his Padawan dead, ideally by Obi-Wan's hand. He scoffed at the very idea, that would _never_ happen.

The force puzzlingly had been urging him to remain with Dooku the past few hours, this was perhaps why he did not have a good feeling about both of them getting off the ship. Obi-Wan resigned to the fact that perhaps he was meant to die here, or his and Dooku's paths had not finished intertwining, there was also still the looming threat of Darth Sidious to deal with. Whatever lay ahead in the future Obi-Wan vowed he would listen to the force, as a Jedi should.

Without wasting another moment in contemplation Obi-Wan indicated to his Padawan that this conversation was not over, only postponed, and stood to head out of the med-bay. Anakin steadied him as the blood seemed to rush to his head all at once and the two made their way towards the exit, both scouring the surrounding force for any nearby assailants. To their luck the immediate surroundings were clear so both Master and Apprentice left the confined space and headed off in hopes of finding a way off the ship.

As they crept along corridors Obi-Wan became increasingly suspicious to the lack of foot fall in the halls, he could feel Dooku's growing rage from here yet no alarm seemed to have been sounded. It was an enigma. Why had Dooku not noticed either of their escape's?

* * *

The reason why Dooku hadn't the time to check on his prisoners was the sudden arrival of an intruding ship, one which he could sense even from this far was carrying _Jedi._ The force on the bridge exploded in a sudden fit of rage as Dooku acknowledged that they had been found, sparks flew erratically from consoles as his tremendous fury crushed everything in the general vicinity. Droids continued to look on impassively at the carnage refusing to comment on the sudden outburst, only striving to continue with their pre-programmed response to prepare the ship for an engagement.

 _How did they find me?_ He menacingly drawled, barely being able to hold together his already frayed violent emotions. Dooku then noted that other ships were not dropping out of hyperspace, it seemed this one had come alone. _Interesting._

Well if they wanted to challenge them then the Jedi would very much regret it, his state of the art star ship was equipped with the latest weapons and shielding available. He would _crush_ their pathetic rescue attempts. Before he could order the droids to open fire a transmission signal was detected, it seemed they wanted to talk. _Very well,_ Dooku would listen to what they had to say perhaps he could find out more of what they knew. He nodded to the crew member to accept the communication and soon the viewport was filled with the incoming transmission.

Dooku studied the image deftly, in a matter of seconds, evaluating every person and their motives. There appeared to be only _two_ Jedi on board, a Master and an apprentice. He was unfamiliar with the young woman that was evidently the Master of the pair, it had been some time since he was interested in the newer generation though.

"I don't believe we have been acquainted," He started formally, good manners cost nothing after all.

"No we have not, however your reputation proceeds you, _Master_ Dooku," The blonde Jedi replied tersely, distaste for the aristocratic man standing in front of her evident for all to see.

Dooku's eyes narrowed as he measured the young women's displeasure, evidently she knew enough about his operations to hold such a level of loathing even without having met him.

"I believe you have me at a disadvantage," Dooku drawled whilst glancing over at a console which was currently performing a ship wide scan on their vessel, seeking defensive and offensive capabilities alike.

"I am Master Tachi, now where is Obi-Wan?" She all but growled back, impatient streak bleeding through.

Dooku observed the young women stood before him with an increased critical gaze, dissecting everything about the way she held herself and the _very_ interesting fact that she asked where _Obi-Wan_ was. Not Master Kenobi. This woman was familiar enough with Obi-Wan to automatically use a first name basis, she was _close_ to him. That much was now clearly evident as he peered closer at the image of the Jedi on screen, she was anxiously waiting on his answer and it was also now clear to Dooku where the rage he had picked up was coming from. She was projecting her hatred of him, because of what she believed he had done to Obi-Wan.

"Obi-Wan? I'm afraid I don't know to who you're referring," He mockingly replied, feigning confusion as the scans of her vessel neared their completion. It would only take a few minutes longer before he could blow their ship out of the sky and escape with his precious cargo.

"Don't mess me around, _Dooku._ I know he's there, I can _feel_ him." She ceased efforts of keeping control over her own temper, effectively spitting back the retort. _A short fuse on this one then._

 _"_ Is that so?" Dooku queried dangerously, this woman was certainly close to Obi-Wan if she could identify him from this long a distance, the situation was getting more interesting by the second. Of course she was now posing an obstacle and risk to his operation so regrettably he moved on with battle plans, indicating to various crew members and droids to prepare for an assault.

"Tell me, Master Tachi, if the Jedi know about my dastardly plans then why did they send just _one_ ship?"

He was rewarded with her sharp intake of breath as their ship's outdated systems started to recognise the preparations being carried out on his, she understood the threat well enough to order her own people to prepare defensive measures, it was a shame it would be _too_ late for her valiant rescue attempts. It was clear her actions were clouded by emotions, her paramount worry for Obi-Wan over-writing all logical thinking.

"Who said anything about just one ship?" She managed to reply with slight smirk, the smugness just about covering up the anxiousness she was feeling.

Was she bluffing, stalling or simply attempting to aggravate him further? Dooku mused the reason was still inconsequential, he would destroy her ship and then escape himself. He gave the signal to cut off the transmission and begin, immediately the atmosphere was drowning with the booming sounds of sonic cannons disrupting, the whirring of the photon laser beams targeting at every inch of the enemy's vessel.

He strode purposefully to another of the consoles for a more detailed readout of his foe's ship, it was always prudent to never underestimate the enemy. Their ships were of roughly the same size, of course his vessel was state of the art whereas theirs was a long retired model. Still he mused they had an impressive arsenal at their disposal and the shielding seemed to have been cannibalised from a newer model. Dooku was not complacent enough to believe this would be over and done with in a matter of minutes, the enemy ship was in fact smaller and faster than his in sub-light so manoeuvrability was a plus for them.

He glanced up at the now clear viewport to catch an update of the situation and noted the enemy ship indeed did have good manoeuvrability, more of their shots missed their target than found them. Of course when Dooku's weapons found their mark the damage caused was catastrophic, chunks of the Jedi Master's vessel careered off into every direction as systems were slowly but surely disabled.

They managed to land a few lucky blows themselves which actually more than once caused Dooku to grip the edge of the console over the shock of the impact, alarms started to blare from various systems as the damage wrought caused further explosions and systems to permanently go off line. Dooku actually glared as a direct hit to their sonic cannons left a sizeable whole in his hull, as well as achieving in taking the most powerful weapons out of play.

"Target just there," He commanded one of the droids whilst pointing to a diagram of the enemy ship, it was time to land a few hard blows to them.

All of Dooku's remaining weapons fired at the exact same spot, to the Jedi's credit the evasive tactics were enough to escape most of the fire, but alas inevitably it was still not enough. Dooku allowed a grin to sneak onto his face as the sound of his enemy's engines failing reached their bridge, the awful groaning and explosive melody as his weapons continued to hit their mark.

It wasn't long before her ship was effectively dead in the water, without propulsion or weapons. Dooku grinned at the upcoming victory, revelled in the prospect of continuing his plans without further interruption, that was until of course they were interrupted. He had been so caught up in battle that the Count failed to identify the approach of what appeared to be hundreds of Jedi, a _blasted_ fleet no less! It seemed Master Tachi wasn't completely lying only stalling, and it had worked.

For the first time in years Dooku started to panic, he had never felt as exposed as he did now, surrounded by dozens of Jedi transports. It was evident a strategic retreat was in order before the new forces trapped him here.

"Into hyperspace!" He ordered crisply.

When nothing happened Dooku glared at the inept droid who was pushing buttons and reading consoles quicker than he ever could, it turned to face him expressionless as it delivered disastrous news.

"The engines were damaged in the last explosion-"

Whatever the droid was going to finish saying was lost as Dooku's hand crushed the blasted thing and flung it's remains across the room. He ordered one of his crewmen to double check the droid's findings, hoping that it had just had a loose wire and the awful truth wouldn't come to pass. From the chill that raced up the man's spine Dooku deduced the droid had not been mistaken, as much as he desired to take his growing rage out on the man he realised it would be far more appropriate for the men to side with him if the Jedi were to make it aboard. So with an enormous amount of restraint Dooku dismissed the apologetic crew member back to his station and ordered everyone to prepare for evasive manoeuvres, if the ship was going down then he would be taking as many Jedi as he could with it.

An increasing number of vessels joined the fray as the vessel rocked under the weight of the assault, sparks flying from every inch of the bridge room as engines and weapons were disabled. Just when things could get no worse did Ventress come flying onto the bridge, delivering catastrophic news.

"Kenobi and Skywalker have escaped," She hissed knowingly, a slight hint of gloating to her tone as if to say 'I told you so.'

His already barely contained fury threatened to boil over explosively at the statement, _force_ that was all he needed! Dooku would bet any money that the Skywalker boy was to blame, he had just been with Obi-Wan and there was no way the falling Jedi would have initiated an escape attempt.

Dooku did not appreciate the boldness from Ventress either, not one bit. He menacingly bore down on her lightning already beginning to cackle at his fingertips. She would _feel_ how displeased he was with her, as soon as he got a hold of his prize and that brat of a Padawan. She submissively averted her eyes downwards which he took for as enough for now, Kenobi was far too important to be allowed to escape.

Glancing back out the viewport Dooku relented to the fact that he was fighting a losing battle, the ship was going to be lost. With this revelation in mind he ordered the remaining droids and crew members that were not needed to follow him, they were going to retreat off of the ship, Dooku would not leave without Kenobi however he would not allow all of his work to be undone.

He, Ventress and dozens of droids stormed off of the bridge heading towards the two beacons in the force, which were inadvertently or not giving away their position. Dooku could sense Obi-Wan's hesitation from here, he knew the only reason he was even running away was for his Padawan's sake. The young Knight most probably felt a sense of duty to protect the boy still, Dooku could understand that. With a bond as strong as Obi-Wan's and Skywalker's, even after all of his damaging meddling they were still closer than most Jedi, Obi-Wan would naturally fall back on his instinct to protect the boy.

If there was one thing in the universe which would bring Obi-Wan back to the light, it would be that blasted Padawan of his. Dooku could not allow all of his lengthly work to be unraveled. He _wouldn't._ Dooku rocketed along the ship's corridors raging like a barely contained storm, almost being knocked off balance more than once as the endless barrage of firing continued to send shockwaves through his vessel. It seemed the Jedi were aiming to disable him.

 _So be it_ , he mused. He had a backup ship waiting on board, an escape plan Dooku always planned for contingencies. Their path to the ship bay was going to coincide with Obi-Wan's, he could once and for all stand by the powerful Jedi as his ally. It was time he and his new apprentice escaped from this mess and proceeded with their imperative task, it was time to kill Darth Sidious.

* * *

Obi-Wan and Anakin raced along one of the various ship's long corridors as another volley of shots rocked and sent shockwaves through the vessel. Obi-Wan had noted the arrival of more sentient life forms as he reached out in the force, strangely enough he had felt a familiar presence nearby too, one belonging to Siri Tachi. He shut down the connection as quickly as he had made it, realising anymore distractions to his already fragile state of mind may end up with him succumbing to his emotions after all. If Siri were here though… Perhaps the Jedi had found them!

As they raced towards what they presumed and hoped was one of the ship bay's Obi-Wan felt a prompting from the force, he needed to explain as much as he could to his Padawan if they were to be separated, it was imperative.

"Look, Anakin, I need to tell you something," He breathlessly informed the already racing ahead Padawan.

Anakin in turn looked over his shoulder incredulously, in disbelief that his Master would be starting a conversation at this perilous time.

"Is this really the time now, Master?"

Obi-Wan made a mental note to add immediate obedience to the ever growing list of what Anakin would have to be prepared for as soon as they got out of this mess, they would be having some _very_ long conversations indeed.

"This is very important, Padawan, the Jedi must be told this."

Anakin shook off the importance of the message believing his and Obi-Wan's escape together to be more prudent, of course Obi-Wan had seen for himself he wasn't going to be escaping with his Padawan.

"We can tell them together now come on!" The boy excitedly cried as he gripped Obi-Wan's arm harder effectively pulling him along.

Obi-Wan shook his head slowly over the boys antics, he was sure Anakin could feel the imminent warnings of the force as he could, his Padawan had obviously resorted to ignoring them all as they showed the two of them parting ways once again. Obi-Wan gulped as the realisation was once again hard to swallow, Anakin had to hear this whether he wanted to admit the possible future or not.

"Anakin, please, if I don't make it out of here you need to know this."

Obi-Wan once again felt the brushing aside of a warning, the boy believing he _knew_ better.

"We're both making it out of here," Anakin Skywalker determinedly replied as the pair reached another fork in their travels.

Obi-Wan still could not sense any life forms converging on their position, even though he was certain Dooku must have learned of their escape by now. He was sure the spike in rage had originated from the Count. Of course if the Jedi had found them, which was becoming less like a dream and more like reality as numerous more ships converged on their position, then Dooku would most likely be preoccupied with that threat.

"I wish that were true, let's just say I have a bad feeling about the imminent future."

Anakin stopped in his tracks as the implications of Obi-Wan's words caught up with his own mind, spinning round to face his Master with a look of obligation on his young face.

"I can't see you die, I won't," The boy assured him, a dangerous tone ready for anyone who questioned his resolve,

Obi-Wan gripped his Padawan's shoulders, _willing_ him to understand an important truth. The last thing he wished for was for Anakin too fall because of his death, his Padawan would have to learn the lesson of detachment extremely quickly if the worst were to befall Obi-Wan. Of course the lesson would not be a welcome or fair one but Obi-Wan hoped Anakin would be tenacious enough to follow his teachings.

"If I die, Anakin, then that is the will of the force and you _will_ be strong, I trust you to be that."

Anakin gulped as the sincerity reached him through their bond, the force all but confirming that he and Obi-Wan would not be escaping this ship together.

"This is going to be hard to digest I understand that but you need to know the truth, I know I've been worrying you with my actions the past day especially where it came to Dooku. I need you to know that I haven't turned, nor will I, Dooku needed to believe I would."

Anakin's brows furrowed in immense confusion over Obi-Wan's words, what he was telling him would explain everything that had happened the past day but Anakin knew there were times he had felt Obi-Wan's intense rage, how could that have been faked? Why didn't he simply tell Anakin?

"But…But…" He tried and failed to form words.

"I wish I could explain it all to you now but there's no time Anakin, just know this I haven't fallen to the dark side and I never will."

The sincerity behind Obi-Wan's words caught him off guard for a moment, he would have to simply place all of his trust in his Master's words, funnily enough Anakin Skywalker didn't find the prospect hard at all. Obi-Wan released his grip on his Padawan's shoulders and steered the boy into the next empty corridor, still scanning nearby for any enemies.

"Now you are getting out of here I will make sure of it, when you do you need to tell the Council something, something which they will have trouble believing," Obi-Wan explained whilst still pushing his Padawan ahead of him slowly.

"All of this is hard to believe," Anakin grumbled quietly, of course Obi-Wan still heard the uttered phrase.

Obi-Wan allowed himself to chuckle darkly before his face transformed into that of seriousness, preparing to reveal an enormous secret that had been weighing on his soul.

"Chancellor Palpatine is the Sith Lord."

Anakin almost burst out laughing as if his Master had told an exceedingly funny joke, the pained expression on his Mater's face however told him otherwise, he was _deadly serious_.

Anakin went to reply but found he had no words, _how could the Chancellor be a Sith Lord?_ There must be some kind of mistake… He had been growing closer to Chancellor Palpatine, the kind elderly man had taken an interest in his Jedi life and had always been supportive. It was unthinkable to place the image of a Sith where the revered man stood.

"Tell them to check the security footage for the med-bay, time interval about an hour ago. Dooku confirmed it right in front of me, he wasn't lying, Anakin. They will see me act rather controversially so to say, it was important Dooku believe that I was capable of being his apprentice, imperative that he see I was falling."

Obi-Wan realised the Council wouldn't have all the information he had, they would take his words and actions to be corrupt. It didn't matter what people thought of him however, all that mattered was the end of the Sith once and for all.

"No matter what any of them say, Anakin, don't let your anger cloud your actions, it doesn't matter what the Council think of me at this point. If I make it out of here then I'm sure there will be ample time to dissect all of my decisions in painful detail."

"I understand," Anakin mumbled quietly, still in shock over the reeling news.

Anakin wanted to tell Obi-Wan that Sith dealt in lies, wanted to blame all of this on his Master's ordeals but the more he thought about the idea of Palpatine being a Sith strangely the more the force approved. The very fact itself rang with such truth that it was hard to believe that he hadn't even thought to think the deadly truth before. The kind old man that Anakin had gotten so used to seeing, the man that had become a sort of father figure, behind Obi-Wan of course was an agent of evil. Anakin shuddered as the pieces aligned, realisation and shock setting in over how blind all the Jedi had been, how long could it have been until they realised? How much damage could the evil man wrought?

It all made sense now, the way Palpatine manoeuvred himself into power, Naboo… With the thought train came a deadly realisation, if Sidious had been the cause of the Naboo crisis then Qui-Gon's murder was the old man's fault. Anakin felt intense hatred well up inside of him for the man that had called himself his friend, his _advisor._ Palpatine had effectively murdered Qui-Gon, the monster deserved to pay.

Both Master and Apprentice carried onwards in pensive silence as the footfall increased around them, men and droids alike racing along corridors and into hatchways as shockwave after shockwave blasted into the ship. They both dizzyingly felt a higher number of force sensitives arrive as the deadly space battle continued around them, the Jedi had come to rescue them.

* * *

 **A/N - Finally Anakin and Obi-Wan seem to have luck on their side! Things will be coming to a head soon and this story will be sadly coming to an end sooner rather than later. I imagine there will be a maximum of 10 more chapters, probably less. I do have a sequel planned though which should be exciting to write :) Please leave some feedback if you have the time, thanks for the continued support as always!**

 **Until next time...**


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N - First off sorry this is a little late, was planning to get this ready a few days ago but the important thing is it's ready now! I would like to thank everyone who is still following this story and welcome anyone whose new to the tale, the support and reviews as always keep me going so thanks to everyone who has stuck with this! Anyway here's the next segment, we're rocketing towards the final act now!**

* * *

Obi-Wan and Anakin were thrown off their feet as a rather substantial blast to the ship had the entire corridor in shockwaves, Obi-Wan imagined they looked rather like rag-dolls at the present moment. What with their lack of ability to keep balance, even with their advanced reflexes and with the aid of the force. Obi-Wan's own recently healed wounds jarred at every impact, scar tissue reopening as muscles burned with over-exertion.

They had spent the last leg of the journey in silence as an increasing amount of crew members swarmed the halls, all hoping to escape the failing ship. Obi-Wan could tell by the growing violence of hits that Dooku's ship's shields were failing and the number of opponents were rising. At first he and Anakin had only been able to identify the presence of a handful of force sensitives in the immediate vicinity, that had all changed faster than either of them could keep count. Now the entire area was simply _swarming_ with Jedi, burning brightly in the force as a collective. Obi-Wan hadn't realised how much of a difference the Jedi's united presence impacted the force until now, until he had spent so long alone in the void, _in the dark._

Another vicious explosion had both he and Anakin tumbling through the air, both futilely struggling to grapple with the effects of the battle. Obi-Wan ended up falling right on top of his flailing Padawan in a bundle of limbs, both Jedi moaned as their respective battle scars flared before releasing whatever pain they could into the force, picking themselves and setting off jogging once more.

The bad feeling Obi-Wan was having had magnified in strength in just the short distance he and his Padawan had run, it loomed over him like a shadowy storm cloud waiting to strike at any moment. The harder he tried to shake off the premonition the harder it came back with a vengeance, fate would be catching up to him sooner rather than later.

The tremendous crashes beneath them ground to a halt as the persistent firing finally found it's target, the engines. Obi-Wan relied on the force as he and Anakin were plunged into darkness, the corridor falling mercy to the obscurity as power was lost ship-wide. It took a full minute before the slight whirring of back-up generators were heard and the eerie blue emergency lighting kicked in, Obi-Wan's vision took a few seconds to readjust to the change in lighting and he witnessed other disorientated crew-members that were still grounded after the lack of vision. The two Jedi raced past all of them.

In all the concentration spent on just remaining up-right Obi-Wan had failed to notice the impending arrival of their biggest enemy, Dooku. He skid to a halt just as Anakin too sensed the Sith Lord and his _pet_ , both glancing at each other as they realised it was far too late to turn back. Obi-Wan deduced _this_ was what his bad feeling must have been over, their impending meeting with the Count.

Soon the pair were boxed in on either side by droids and mercenary's alike all aiming blasters in their general direction, it seemed Dooku had planned to capture them in advance. The fact didn't surprise Obi-Wan in the slightest he knew why Dooku was here, he wanted _him._ Abruptly he locked his mind down completely, only releasing scraps of information and feelings that the Count was expecting. It was important Dooku believed he was joining him as _his_ apprentice, that being said Anakin needed to be spared.

He glanced at Ventress and held back an involuntarily shiver, she was still glaring at him with murder in her hate-filled eyes, it was clear her feelings for him had declined dramatically. It was also abundantly clear she didn't believe his projections about joining the pair of them, Obi-Wan thanked the force that Dooku didn't listen to her opinions any longer.

At the distant sound of Jedi ships preparing for boarding, Obi-Wan had an idea. An idea that if pulled off correctly would allow Anakin to remain behind whilst he headed off with Dooku, with the Count believing it was his descension to the dark side. His Padawan would be safe here with the Jedi boarding and Obi-Wan would deal with the fallout of his decisions later. The force sang with approval over his choice and plan which aided in calming his nerves, _now just to pull it off_.

Obi-Wan allowed himself to meet Dooku's blazing glare, it was evident the Count was _not_ pleased with his escape attempt. More worryingly however was the murderous scowl the ex-Jedi was directing at his Padawan almost mirroring the look he was still receiving from Ventress. He could sense the reason Dooku was so ragingly angry at Anakin from a mile off, he believed the Padawan was turning his Master back to the light.

"I'm very disappointed in your decision Obi-Wan." Dooku started, placing Obi-Wan under a calculative gaze.

"I hadn't realised I'd made one yet." He responded smoothly whilst striving to place himself discretely further from his Padawan.

He could already sense the boy's thoughts over retaliation and had quashed them before they even started, Anakin of course panicked over the ruthless action once again worrying over his Master's behaviour.

 _'Trust me Anakin, just follow my lead.'_

The boy was not overly ecstatic with the instruction but Obi-Wan took his withdrawn silence as obedience for now, he just hoped Anakin would not take what he would be forced to say to heart.

"You're with the boy." Dooku indicated, glowering as his gaze met Anakin's.

Anakin of course did not back down from the stare, standing resolutely rooted to the spot in front of the ex-Jedi. The scene was looking rather too familiar for Obi-Wan's liking as the two opposites stood-off, almost identical to the intense moments back in their cell. Light against dark.

 _'Anakin don't provoke him remember what I told you.'_ Obi-Wan silently indicated to his Padawan shielding the communication from Dooku's awareness, willing the boy to heed his words. When he didn't acknowledge hearing them Obi-Wan added to the command which served to break through his Padawan's stubborn streak. _'trust me.'_

"He came for me." Obi-Wan replied making sure to add a touch of irritability to his voice, hoping the Count would pick up on his reluctance.

Obi-Wan stepped forward furthering his distance from his rightly-so confused Padawan, he just hoped the boy's trust in him would be enough to hold his tongue. Dooku of course picked up on all of the subtle changes that Obi-Wan was forcibly putting on, relaxing his posture somewhat as the possibility of Obi-Wan joining him was kept alive.

"That doesn't change the fact you were _both_ heading towards escape." Dooku chided, still skeptical and unknowing of Obi-Wan's true motives. "I am disappointed Obi-Wan."

Obi-Wan assessed his opponent's critically, the last thing he or Anakin could afford right now was for him to make a wrong move. Dooku would have to be played slyly. Whilst he could certainly identify a healthy dose of skepticism radiating from Dooku he also found the same deep desire the ex-Jedi had held the entire trip, moving forward with Obi-Wan by _his_ side. Obi-Wan knew if he could handle this correctly then the Count's desires would blind him to the truth that Ventress was quite clearly still seeing, his _arrogance_ would blind him to Obi-Wan's treachery. As it always had.

"Whatever my choices are he is still bound to me, I feel a responsibility to help him get home."

Obi-Wan cruelly drowned out Anakin's incredulous shouting through their bond, he could already _feel_ the Count scouring his mind for sincerity. The last thing he needed was to allow Dooku to hear Anakin's thoughts on the matter, Obi-Wan needed all of his concentration to project his new-found indifference towards Anakin even if it would break the boy's heart. The only thing that mattered now was Anakin getting out from Dooku's clutches, Obi-Wan had already resigned to his own fate. The other option would result in both of their deaths which wouldn't aid anyone.

"Hmm, it's not possible the boy was filling your head with nonsense again?" Dooku drawled dangerously, once more directing his murderous glare towards Anakin.

"My views have not changed since we last spoke." Obi-Wan confirmed and was actually rewarded with seeing the beginnings of a smirk pull at Dooku's lips. "I take my vows seriously Dooku, including my oath to Skywalker."

Obi-Wan hoped the use of his Padawan's last name would be catalogued by the Count, the coldness of the action certainly wasn't lost on the boy in question. Obi-Wan could feel the inner battle occurring in Anakin's mind, the ability to simply trust his Master severely eroded by what he was witnessing. The constant hammering against his own mental barriers had Obi-Wan feel as if his own head was splitting, Anakin never once relented in his communication attempts. It was killing Obi-Wan to ignore the desperate pleas but this was what was required, his feelings did not come into it.

Dooku's critical gaze shifted to his and softened ever so slightly over the supposed sincerity of Obi-Wan's words. Ventress of course went to interject before she was swiftly cut off by Dooku himself, it was clear he did not care for or trust her opinion on the matter.

"That is good to hear."

Dooku's slight smirk was wiped straight off his face as the distant clanging sounds reverberated down their corridor, it was clear to all the force-sensitives just _who_ exactly was arriving, the Jedi. The ex-Jedi directed a handful of droids and guards in the general direction of the boarding party, in hopes to delay their arrival for as long as possible.

"The Jedi…" Dooku began only to be cut off Obi-Wan.

"Will not do what needs to be done." He concluded grimly, ignoring the disbelieving look he was receiving from his Padawan. As he sensed the boy's upcoming defiance Obi-Wan silenced him with one look, narrowing his eyes as his apprentice of course did not desist immediately.

Dooku grinned at the proceedings malevolently, ecstatic that his long thought out plans were finally coming to fruition. The Count still hoped for Anakin's death, that much was abundantly clear from the exceedingly vivid images Obi-Wan could sense, Obi-Wan would _never_ allow his Padawan to befall such an awful fate.

"The boy cannot accompany us Obi-Wan he has been brain-washed and will only serve to endanger the galaxy."

Obi-Wan could see what the Count was hinting at, the ex-Jedi was scouring for any reaction to the statement, any indication that Obi-Wan would allow Anakin to be collateral damage in this war, _Not bloody likely…_

"I will leave him here, the Jedi will take him home." Obi-Wan made a show of deciding, glancing at Anakin indifferently as if the loss from his life was inconsequential to him. Of course the truth was anything but.

"Would it not be _kinder_ to spare him from their fate now?" Dooku eyed up Anakin once more with a hungry look in his gaze, a _disturbing_ look. Obi-Wan catalogued the Count's slight shift in stance, the way he gripped his saber hilt harder, it was obvious Dooku wanted nothing more than to rid himself of the troubling Padawan there and then.

"No."

Dooku's gleaming eyes froze so fast that Obi-Wan almost thought he had imagined the chilling transformation, the Count slowly turned his challenging gaze to Obi-Wan whilst narrowing his eyes to slits completing the familiar skeptical facade. Immense _displeasure_ radiating from each and every one of his cells.

"No?" The double-edged question sliced through the palpable disquiet in the air.

Obi-Wan resolutely stood his ground, Ventress' gaze gleamed with the anticipation of her enemy's secret being spilled and Dooku's previous calm exterior now raged like an oncoming storm. Obi-Wan was directly in it's path.

"There is no reason to _waste_ young talent." Obi-Wan began coldly, treading forward carefully fully aware his next words would either result in life or death. "Perhaps in the future he could be apart of our new order, an order free from bureaucrat's and agendas. A _just_ order where _we_ can do what is best for the galaxy, free from corruption and the unwillingness to act which currently plagues the Jedi."

He stood straight as he delivered the passionate speech, projecting as much conviction over the words as he could handle, _believing_ that this was what he wanted. The speech not only assured Dooku's unwavering trust, it was so unquestionable that even Ventress feigned confusion over his change in views. Of course if Ventress was _swayed…_ Obi-Wan glanced back towards his Padawan the poor boy had gone white as a sheet, the beginning of tears prickling at the corner of his pain-wracked eyes.

Obi-Wan attempted to reach out into their bond willing his Padawan to understand that this was all just an act, this was _necessary._ He was surprised when Anakin rejected his attempts entirely, his thoughts too muddled, confused and _hurt_ to accept his Master's attempts. It seemed his performance had been more convincing than he had originally intended, the ease of slipping into this role terrified Obi-Wan somewhat. He realised he must believe parts of his speech to be _true,_ there was simply no discernible way to fake the sincerity like that. Obi-Wan resolved to trudge through his beliefs over the Jedi order at a later point, now he had a mission to accomplish.

With a heavy heart Obi-Wan turned his back on Anakin and met Dooku's gaze, it was evident the elder man was completely swayed, comprehensively won over. Even his wishes for Anakin's death weren't as imminent, they had been somewhat quashed by the dreams of a new _apprentice._

"Come Obi-Wan, take your place by my side and we will go and rid the galaxy of evil. _Fulfil_ your _destiny._ " Dooku indicated to the place by his side, absurdly proud over the fulfilment of his plans.

They could all sense just how many Jedi were on board by now, their number had been slowly increasing the longer the conversation continued. Dooku was well aware of how imminent their arrival was and now was not willing to waste anymore time, he indicated to the remainder of his crew to prepare the ship for departure whilst Ventress reluctantly skulked off also.

"Master you don't have to do this." Anakin squeaked, stepping forwards in attempt to pull Obi-Wan back to his side, to the light.

Dooku's temper raged at the boy's words, his wishes for Anakin's painful murder reverberating through Obi-Wan's mind. Panicking slightly at the Count's change in focus Obi-Wan abruptly informed his Padawan and Dooku where his loyalties lay simultaneously, putting to bed much of Dooku's resentment.

"I _want_ to do this Padawan."

Anakin gulped back tears, Dooku beamed triumphantly. Obi-Wan swallowed down overwhelming guilt.

Obi-Wan then started forward effectively into Dooku's outreached arms, settled and resolved on what would be a short-lived alliance with the Count. If only Anakin believed that. At the last moment Obi-Wan halted in his steps, risking one fleeting glance over his shoulder to his Padawan, _willing_ the boy to see what he was doing. Anakin's face was glistening with recently shed tears which caused Obi-Wan to feel such dreadful guilt all over again, he swallowed it and persevered. He effectively screamed along their still blocked bond, wishing and hoping that his words would be heard and not uselessly crash against his Padawan's resilient shields.

' _Anakin trust me. Things are not as they seem.'_

Obi-Wan longed for a response, any sort of indication that Anakin had heard his words. As he witnessed the boy furrow his brows Obi-Wan knew this was the sign his Padawan had heard him, Anakin was digging through the meanings and implications of the words and Obi-Wan was even rewarded with his apprentice looking him straight in the eye, a questioning look in his eyes.

Obi-Wan dared't risk a smile even with his back turned to Dooku the ex-Jedi could easily pick up the reassuring signal, he simply sent the equivalent of a hug across their bond. A _farewell_ embrace. Anakin gave the slightest nod, understanding at least that Obi-Wan was doing what he _must._

He steeled himself for the response Dooku was expecting, what Dooku _needed_ to hear.

"Goodbye my _old_ Padawan. Don't follow me."

Somehow Obi-Wan managed to keep his close to bursting emotions in check, succeeded in keeping the voice devoid of his swelling emotion. He turned his back on Anakin for what could very well be the last time, _the final time he would see his Padawan_. Reaching out for confirmation in the force Obi-Wan only received conflicting feelings, neither a denial or approval. It seems his future was still up in the air, it was of little consequence now, now that Anakin would be safe.

With a heavy heart Obi-Wan set off to take his place by Dooku's side, not once flinching when the elder Jedi embraced him as _friend._ The convoy set off towards the awaiting ship at a brisk pace, sensing how close the Jedi were to their position. Obi-Wan could feel Anakin's gaze boring into him as he walked side by side with Dooku, as much as he wanted to look back just once more he knew he could not. If he did now then Obi-Wan was sure he would let something slip, all of this would be for nothing and he and Anakin would surely be killed.

 _No, I will do what I must,_ Obi-Wan mused. For the first time in his life he now understood the true meaning of those words, the immense weight he now carried on his shoulders, the _full_ meaning of _duty._

Anakin stayed rooted to the spot as he watched his Master walk away from him, effectively _abandoning_ him. The rocking of the ship did nothing to stir him from his shocked state, _how could Obi-Wan be so cold?_ His Master had told him to trust him, had practically screamed it at him even as he spoke treacherous words. Anakin had tried he really had, _There is no try…_ The ghost of a memory served to snap him out of his trance, sad smile over his Master's words breaking through to almost break his heart. _How could things have gone so wrong?_

Only when Anakin thought all hope was lost did Obi-Wan surprise him yet again, _thinking_ contradictorily to his chilling words, willing him to _see_ what Obi-Wan was doing. The longer Anakin thought back through the ordeal the more he began to question his thoughts and feelings at the time. It had been abundantly clear to everyone present what Obi-Wan had just done, he had effectively severed all ties to the Jedi order, and yet Anakin somehow _knew_ that not to be true.

He decided to trust in the one thing he always had since birth knowingly or unknowingly, the force. Reaching out into the turbulent currents he spent a few moments going over their encounter in his mind, seeking the clarity over the events. He saw clearly what he should have known all along, felt the desperate attempts from Obi-Wan to break through his mental barriers, to reassure him his words meant nothing. It was a show for Dooku. _But why?_

 _Palpatine…_ Anakin deduced next, realising why his Master had revealed all to him. The Jedi knew he wouldn't be getting the news to the Jedi himself, not alive anyway. With the revelation came more realisation as pieces fell into place, it was evident Dooku wanted Obi-Wan by his side, _needed_ Obi-Wan by his side. Darth Sidious was too powerful for the ex-Jedi to take on all by himself, hence the need for a _new_ apprentice. Anakin realised how much of a loose end he was, he had seen the murder in Dooku's eyes, had _felt_ how very much the Sith had wanted to end him.

'Obi-Wan stopped him', Anakin muttered in disbelief, how could he have been so blind to the hints? _How could he have doubted Obi-Wan's care for him…_ The questions only served to bring guilt so Anakin stopped asking them and instead endeavoured to _do_ something.

Running to the nearest viewport Anakin caught sight of Dooku's sleek escape vessel exiting the hanger bay, of course bolts of red fire attempted to catch the ship to stop it's engines, none did. Anakin watched horrified as the cruiser evaded all of the ships, opened a hyper lane and shot off into oblivion. _Master…_

Obi-Wan's great sacrifice now shone as clearly as a nebula in the night sky, he had given up his life his reputation for duty, _for Anakin._ He gulped back tears as the bond fell silent, feeling worse than anytime during their captivity for the simple fact that Anakin knew there was a very good chance he would never hear Obi-Wan inside his mind again.

Anakin turned abruptly as he felt the proximity of fellow Jedi, of the Council. They had to be told what Obi-Wan entrusted him with, it was imperative. With the new goal on his mind Anakin set off at a sprint towards the oncoming Jedi, picking out safe routes by identifying the still-ongoing firefights and avoiding them. The sheer number of Jedi aboard was staggering, after spending a lengthly amount of time suffocating in darkness it was certainly refreshing _feeling_ the force brighten, feeling the sheer intensity of the light.

As he sprinted onwards his thoughts wandered back to Obi-Wan, to a time when they were taking their first steps into their apprenticeship as Master and Padawan.

 _Anakin sat across from Obi-Wan fidgeting slightly even though he was trying very hard not to, they had been at this latest exercise for what could have been hours. Anakin was not faring well with the prolonged state, knowing he needed to find a way to fall deeper within the currents of the force but still failing miserably. He only managed to remain un-distracted for a fraction of the time that his Master was, even now hours later the Jedi Master was the picture of calmness and serenity._

 _As Anakin continued to struggle Obi-Wan finally cracked an eye open, deeming that an intervention was in order if they were to continue._

 _"You're not meditating Anakin." His teacher chided playfully, eyes glittering with mirth._

 _Of course Anakin had only been around for a handful of weeks so mistook his teacher's comment for real disappointment, he hadn't had the chance to get acquainted with Obi-Wan's unorthodox sense of humour as of yet._

 _"I'm trying!" He whined indignantly._

 _"There is no try." His mentor reminded him, dead-pan._

 _Anakin huffed at the response causing his still-growing Padawan's braid to sway with the action, he crossed his arms in distaste and proceeded to scowl at the floor._

 _Obi-Wan in turn pulled himself fully from his own state, only needing a moment to reassert himself with the present moment and looked down upon his struggling Padawan. Anakin just didn't have the patience to sit and spend the time meditating, Obi-Wan realised the boy needed a task or at least a discernible purpose._

 _"Let's do something different." Obi-Wan decided._

 _Anakin longingly thought about saber play but his dreams were quashed as Obi-Wan chuckled, evidently sensing exactly what he would rather do._

 _"I'm afraid not Padawan, a skill of equal importance however I assure you." Obi-Wan's eyes twinkled as he continued, remembering the feeling of being so young that saber play was all that seemed important. "How do you think I knew what you were thinking?"_

 _Anakin furrowed his brows as he concentrated on the problem at hand, there was only one answer that sprung to mind._

 _"The force, our bond?"_

 _"Very good, Jedi teams have been known to actually communicate through their bonds. Nearly all teams master the ability of sensing feelings, memories and can even share dreams." Obi-Wan explained._

 _Of course Anakin was most interested in the talking part, the thought of being able to speak to somebody inside their own mind was Wizard!_

 _"Could you and Master Qui-Gon talk in each others minds?" He innocently inquired._

 _Anakin of course caught the wince, even if it was slight and eradicated in the next second._

 _"I'm sorry Master, I didn't mean…"_

 _"It's alright Anakin, really." Obi-Wan assured, grabbing hold of his arm in a reassuring act. "It did take us a while but yes in the end we could communicate more than mere thoughts through our bond."_

 _"Wizard!" Anakin exclaimed, he wanted to be able to mind read too._

 _"It will take time though Padawan, and patience." He added sternly causing Anakin to blush, he knew patience wasn't his strong suit._

 _Over the next few months both Master and Padawan worked diligently on the task, first learning to read each other's moods and feelings. Anakin of course wanted to master the ability to telepathically communicate straight away, Obi-Wan had to remind him that it was unlikely to happen for a long while he and Qui-Gon had taken years to master the skill._

 _One afternoon Anakin and Obi-Wan raged back into the apartment, Obi-Wan effectively dragging the wayward Padawan in by the scruff of his neck._

 _"Stars Anakin how many times have I told you, the grounds outside the temple are simply off limits."_

 _Anakin wriggled his way free from the hold and strove to put some distance between himself and Obi-Wan, it wasn't fair he simply didn't understand how important freedom was to Anakin._

 _"I'm sorry Master." He mumbled miserably, head hanging low in shame._

 _"Other Padawan's aren't as troublesome as you I swear…" Obi-Wan almost muttered the last part to himself, shaking his head into his hands. His Master looked weary, tired._

 _'Maybe you should take one of them instead…' Anakin thought darkly._

 _Obi-Wan's head shot up, "Anakin I didn't mean that."_

 _Anakin looked up startled, eyes going wide. He hadn't spoken aloud. Both of them gaped at each other in realisation, Anakin had just inadvertently spoken inside Obi-Wan's mind. The reason behind the argument lost behind the new wonder they both tried their upmost to re-establish the connection._

 _'Anakin, can you understand me?'_

 _Anakin strained himself to hear the query clearly, delving deep into the force, travelling along the bond that linked them itself._

 _'Yes Master!' He excitedly replied after much trial and error._

 _His Master's smile indicated that he had heard the reply and deciphered it, Anakin couldn't help but think of all the possibilities available to them now they had accomplished this hard-earned skill. It hadn't taken nearly as long as his Master had claimed…_

 _It took them a few weeks to be able to establish a connection long enough to send multiple response's first time but they were getting there, Obi-Wan was astonished. He had never heard of a Master and Apprentice team accomplish this valuable skill so early on. It was always a testament to the strength of the bond, Obi-Wan presumed Anakin's astonishing force connection must have had something to do with it. That afternoon on the crest of an argument something wonderful had been born, their bond had grown in strength ever since. Astounding anyone they came into contact with…_

Anakin resurfaced from the happy memory just as a blaster bolt ricocheted off a wall to his left and came speeding towards his mid-riff, only his Jedi reflexes saved him from the deadly bolt, that did not mean that he was spared from a handful of splinters from the wall however. Yelping Anakin leapt forwards out of the path of the speeding bullet and remaining shrapnel effectively crashing into a person rounding the corner. From the flowing robes Anakin quickly deduced that his accidental victim was in fact Jedi, who exceedingly quickly threw Anakin behind him as more laser bolts reigned down around them.

Anakin scrambled away from the sizzling beams and found some cover, it was then he realised who his saviour had been. Mace Windu. The Korun Jedi's purple saber swung in huge arcs deflecting each and every single bolt that came in his direction, the power he exerted was phenomenal. Anakin had only seen the revered Jedi in training once or twice, but seeing someone in training and in _this_ environment were two very different things entirely. The fury behind the Jedi Master's attacks stunned Anakin in his place, he wanted to be _that_ good one day. It was as if Master Windu wasn't even trying, perhaps he wasn't. Blaster bolts weren't really testing his skill.

It didn't take long for the assailants and droids to be neutralised, that was Anakin took note of the sheer amount of Jedi he was surrounded by. Even with this number of Jedi he still did not feel truly safe, his Master was not here. As soon as Mace had issued instructions to secure the rest of the ship he turned and strode purposefully towards Anakin, dissecting stare taking in his appearance and all injuries in one look.

"Anakin are you alright?" He asked kindly dropping to meet Anakin's level, Anakin wasn't used to this warm tone from the Jedi Master. He usually only looked at him with an anxious glance, perhaps he did look worse than expected, as the adrenaline wore off he could certainly _feel_ more of his old wounds flaring to life again.

"I'm fine it's Obi-Wan." Anakin blurted out, forgetting the niceties that should still be observed. To his credit Mace didn't even batt an eyelid, the slip-up forgiven because of extraordinary circumstances.

"Where is Master Kenobi?" Mace urgently asked, hands gripping ever so slightly harder into Anakin's arms, the only sign of a slip in usual Jedi serene calmness.

"With Count Dooku."

* * *

 **A/N - So all the players are heading towards their final position's, at the moment this is looking to be 5 or 6 more long chapters. As I said previously however there is a sequel planned which now exists fully in my head, and even plans for a 3rd in the series :)**

 **Thank you for everyone who is still following this, I will update ASAP as always!**

 **Until next time...**


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N - Yay I'm nearly almost kinda back to a normal schedule :) Thanks again for reading and anyone who has reviewed!**

 **Enjoy...**

* * *

Obi-Wan gazed outwards to witness the galaxy racing past faster than he could keep up with, hyperspace always had that outward effect. The space around Dooku's ship distorted and warped as the vessel carved a path through space itself, the visual effect was rather mesmerising. Lines stretched and twisted endlessly as they travelled faster than light itself.

He turned away from the viewport and proceeded to fall back into a healing trance, it was imperative now more than ever that he be at his best, physically and mentally. The imminent warning flaring from the force served to drown out almost everything, Obi-Wan had never felt such a divergence in its currents. He had never felt such _evilness_ in all his years, even the combined presence of Dooku and Ventress fell rather short of this new threat, Sidious.

Obi-Wan struggled to connect with the force as once more his injuries reminded him just how much work was needed, perhaps it was the overwhelming darkness now screaming out at him or maybe the fact they were travelling in hyperspace. The force always felt different in space travel, it was harder to grasp the tendrils almost as if they were more liquefied and any attempts to harness it was much like watching water slip through one's fingers.

Realising he had little choice over the matter Obi-Wan strove to block out as much as he could, hard as that was and _really_ centered himself for the first time in days. He blocked out the image of Anakin's distraught face, betrayal tearing him apart on the inside. He blocked out the overwhelming sense of loss, the conflicting feelings he had felt from Siri, blocked out Dooku, Ventress, Qui-Gon. Obi-Wan's mind truly emptied itself of everything so he could finally connect with what little light there was left in the surroundings, the small flicker defiantly battling the overwhelming darkness refusing to be extinguished.

Time seemed to slow as Obi-Wan _connected_ with the force in a way he had never truly accomplished before, he felt at one with it. He and the force worked in tandem as they repaired splintered bone, torn muscles and replenished strength where it was needed. Obi-Wan lost all sense of time as he worked tirelessly. When he awoke, for the first few moments it was like he was seeing the world from another's eyes. Of course the blissful feeling didn't last long as Obi-Wan sensed the approach of Dooku, _remembered_ all the harrowing moments that had led to him being with the enemy and _accepted_ the tremendous burden on his shoulders, as a Jedi.

Dooku swirled into the small quarters moments later his gaze already scanning and dissecting Obi-Wan's state, from the minuscule smile Obi-Wan deduced the Count was pleased with his findings. Obi-Wan had truly had the time to build his mental defences now, he was determined to never allow Dooku to see his true intentions, he couldn't. Not until they had worked together to stop Sidious, Obi-Wan would do his duty where Dooku and Ventress were concerned even if that meant his death. They could not walk away from this, from their crimes. Obi-Wan had every intention of arresting the pair just as he planned on arresting Palpatine. Of course the chances of him arresting Palpatine were slim, Dooku's hatred for the man would already serve as his death sentence. Obi-Wan doubted he would have the strength to come between a man as powerful as Dooku and his vengeance, it was his duty to try though.

 _'There is no try…'_

Qui-Gon's amused voice filtered through to his mind, causing a small smile to tug at Obi-Wan's own lips. Even now he had to restrain from jumping out of his skin when Qui-Gon made contact, it was definitely going to take some getting used to.

Dooku took his place beside Obi-Wan before reaching into his cloak to produce a gift. When the hand emerged it was carrying a saber hilt, Obi-Wan's saber hilt. He would recognise the sacred weapon from anywhere, already he could hear the pureness of the weapon calling out to him. Obi-Wan extended his arm to receive the offering, understanding that this was not just an offering of a weapon but a hand of comradeship, of _trust._ His fingers curled around the sleek design, revelling in the familiar grooves and curves he knew better than his own hands.

"You will be needing this now." Dooku smiled knowingly, understanding just how much this moment meant to Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan looked up into the eyes of his now sworn enemy, the dark to his light. Even though this man was in essence evil that did not help to keep at bay the overwhelming level of guilt crashing into him, as he stared into the trusting fooled eyes of his enemy Obi-Wan almost found himself drowning under the shame of deceit.

"Thank you," he replied solemnly as soon as he could be sure his voice wouldn't crack.

Dooku all of a sudden looked uncomfortable as if he couldn't work out how to start the conversation, it was certainly a different look for the Count, nervousness. In every other encounter the aristocratic man had no troubles with leading the conversation, it was indeed intriguing that whatever was on the Count's mind had caused this new persona.

"I regret that you had to go through so much to get to this stage," he finally started, fingers anxiously tapping his knee, unwilling to hold Obi-Wan's gaze.

Obi-Wan suddenly understood why Dooku seemed so different, the anger that was always bubbling on the surface had all but been buried, the Count wanted a heart to heart. _Very well I will play along._

"I understand the importance, I will gladly sacrifice everything to save the galaxy from Sidious." _And you…_ The addition was of course only spoken in his mind, deep where Dooku would not hear it.

Dooku nodded approvingly, fire rekindling in his gaze as he thought of Palpatine. The hatred that Dooku held for the Sith Lord was simply striking, the ferocity of the emotion almost had Obi-Wan recoil.

"My only regret is that Qui-Gon could not be here."

Obi-Wan's head shot up in shock over the words, they had felt so _sincere._ Dooku glanced at his companion and chuckled, seeing the shock his words had had on his new apprentice. He knew of course Qui-Gon would never condone any of this, no matter what deluded notions Dooku had conjured up.

"You're still angry at him." Dooku incorrectly observed, misplacing the outrage for genuine anger. It did not matter of course the misinterpretation played right into Obi-Wan's hands.

"After all he did?" Obi-Wan growled back, silently letting his Master know this was of course not his true feelings. "Of course I am."

Dooku nodded understandably and placed a hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder, it was funny he could have sworn he saw a flash of guilt cross the Count's gaze. Did the man truly feel ashamed that he turned Obi-Wan against his Master?

"And you have every right to be. Qui-Gon…" He paused to sigh, seemingly composing himself over the memories. "…Qui-Gon was not the best at openly praising his students especially after the disaster with Ducrion."

Dooku's gaze seemed to soften further as he recounted memories from his past, Obi-Wan was shocked over how _different_ the man in front of him seemed to be. Was this how Qui-Gon remembered his Master?

"Whether he showed it or not Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon was very proud of you he told me so himself more than once." Obi-Wan allowed himself to balk at the statement, realising he was still meant to be showing ill-thoughts towards Qui-Gon. He never knew his Master had talked to Dooku about him…

"I believe he would be even prouder of the man you have become, of what you are about to achieve."

Obi-Wan let his gaze hit the floor as he pondered over the words, he hoped Qui-Gon did approve of his decisions and was proud of what he was prepared to do. Of course that action was entirely different from what Dooku was expecting, but it was far too early to ruin the surprise now.

"Do you believe he would stand by our side?" Obi-Wan wanted to know just how delusional the Count was, he of course knew that Qui-Gon resented the man his old Master had turned into.

"I do." Dooku nodded. "Qui-Gon was the best a Jedi could be, not bending to the will of the Council or Senators in hopes of personal gain. No, he was a true Jedi who listened to one thing above all else, the will of the force."

Dooku's admiration for his old Padawan was no act, Obi-Wan could see that there was a time that this man cared deeply for Qui-Gon, maybe he still did even now.

"You miss him still don't you?" Obi-Wan would never have dared a personal question before now, but in this moment it was as if he were speaking to the part of Dooku which was still in the light however small that part might be. It gave Obi-Wan hope that perhaps this man could be brought back from the hell which was the dark side, maybe there could be reconciliation after all.

Dooku sighed as the loaded question was spoken, his grip fell from Obi-Wan's shoulder to land in his own lap dejectedly. Obi-Wan witnessed the flash of anguish cross the ex-Jedi's features even if it were brief, his body language all but answering for him, _yes._

"Every day…" The Count admitted quietly, truthfully.

The guilt smashing into Obi-Wan's defence's tripled, Dooku was opening himself up to Obi-Wan whilst the Jedi continued to deceive. He was the liar here, not Dooku.

As soon as the vulnerability was there it was gone, only lasting for a split second before fire engulfed the Count's form again. His eyes darkened as he imagined Qui-Gon being taken from this world again, loathing for Palpatine and the Jedi consuming whatever goodness that had taken hold in his heart.

"I will forever hate the Jedi's arrogance that got Qui-Gon killed, and Sidious…" The atmosphere in the room dropped as he chilling spoke the words, all warmth obliterated by the power of hatred.

Obi-Wan inwardly sighed, he truly pitied Dooku. To be that warped and controlled by the dark side was a sad sight, especially as he too had now glimpsed a part of the man Dooku used to be. As the Count's burning gaze met his Obi-Wan realised he was expected to also have an opinion on the matter, to show his burning hatred just like Dooku was.

"We will destroy Sidious, and any who threaten our new way."

Dooku nodded in agreement over the statement, joy over Obi-Wan's conviction all but serving to obliterate any other thought process. After one last instruction to continue resting the ex-Jedi was gone, leaving Obi-Wan alone to process what he had just witnessed.

He had seen a side of Dooku that he no longer thought existed, a side not consumed entirely by the dark. Even though the slither of light was growing smaller Dooku was not completely lost, he had to at least attempt to reach the man for Qui-Gon's sake if not his own.

Qui-Gon was being uncharacteristically quiet on the subject, perhaps the Master was struggling to connect with Obi-Wan at hyperspace. They only seemed to be able to connect fully when Obi-Wan was unconsciousness, they would have to change that in the immediate future. Obi-Wan couldn't keep knocking himself out every time he wanted to speak to his old Master.

His musings were interrupted as a flare from the force warned him of another presence nearby, an enemy with unfriendly intentions, Ventress. His hand immediately curled tighter around his saber hilt, thankful that he now had something in which to protect himself from the dark sider. If their last encounter was anything to go by then it seemed this Witch did not agree with him being alive, she had been vicious in her actions, taking joy from his suffering to a whole new level.

Obi-Wan shakily found his feet as he sensed the Witch stop outside his quarters, it seemed she was weighing up the option of engaging him again. He could _feel_ her inner turmoil from here, she so very much wanted to end him yet Dooku would never allow her to live if she did. The question remained did she really hate him that much to forfeit her life?

The question was soon answered as a flurry of movement was made known to him, the door slid open and Ventress leapt towards him teeth baring and hands gripping her saber hilts securely. He was in a defensive position in the next second, pleasantly surprised that his reaction time hadn't seemed to be affected by injuries. In fact the wounds weren't even throbbing with the fast action, his quick recovery would bode well for future duels, from Ventress' disappointment he knew she thought he wouldn't have recovered so quickly. Perhaps she had thought he would be easily dispatched now.

They remained at a stalemate stood in their respective positions, her offensive and his defensive. No saber had been drawn as of yet but it would only take a moment for this to elevate to something else entirely, both opponents gripped their hilt's in apprehension of the other's move, just _waiting_ to engage the other. Obi-Wan had to admit his emotions were in turmoil, as he observed Ventress and witnessed the same perverse desire to end his life he found his own rage boil over. Here was the women that had put him through unspeakable agony and from her posture and death glare fully intended on finishing the job, he _would_ not allow her to ruin everything not when they were now so close to Palpatine.

As he stared into the deep depths of her black eyes he found himself flashing back to their last close encounter, to the agony of her slipping a knife into his chest whilst smiling sweetly down upon her fallen prey. The recollection sent shivers down his spine, to tingle at his nerves as her laughter echoed throughout his mind. The memory of her dominating him, his blood on her knife as he slowly slipped away from this world. Some of his feelings must have leaked as Ventress took a step closer and her growl was replaced with a smile, joyous that her mere presence was having such an effect on Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan released his rightly earned fear for the warrior challenging him, released his turbulent emotions calling for her swift death and focussed on the task at hand. Ventress did not have to trust him, but there was a reason she hadn't attacked yet. _Fear._ Fear of the repercussions, she was above all else a survivor, he could work with that.

"Hello again, my dear…"

Her smile wavered as he broke the silence and realised his fear for her had dropped significantly, she certainly liked to be the one in control.

"Kenobi…" She spat out, her immense distaste for him lacing each and every syllable.

He relaxed his stance slightly hoping she wouldn't pounce on the action, Obi-Wan needed to make this mad Witch see they needed each other. At least for now.

"As much as I would like to _hash_ it out with you, Ventress, quite frankly we have bigger fish to fry." He implored her to see sense, he would diminish his healing considerably if he was forced to fight Ventress as well.

"Why can't I enjoy both?" She countered.

"You know why." The images of Dooku's displeasure floated in front of the both of them, Ventress actually squirmed slightly as she recalled a recent memory.

"We need each other Ventress, the Sith Lord is too powerful."

The burning desire was back in her gaze, thankfully restrained by a look of understanding. Now was not the time for this. Her posture relaxed, only a minuscule amount but it was enough to show that Obi-Wan's words were breaking through.

"He will see what you are, Kenobi, soon enough he will see what I see," she resolutely promised.

Obi-Wan had to agree with her, it was becoming sooner rather than later that his true intentions would be revealed. He dreaded the moment that it would come, the moment he would have not just one Sith as a direct opponent, but three. All he could hope for was to see Sidious in chains or dead before that happened. Of course his silence and lack of denial confirmed to the Witch she was not wrong, which only served to widen her grin.

"When he sees what I see, my Master will cheer me on as I bring him your _head_."

Obi-Wan couldn't disagree with the statement, he was sure it was true. Of course he couldn't let Ventress see her words were affecting him, he would deal with Ventress just as he hoped to deal with Palpatine.

"We shall see…"

She scowled over his words, annoyed at again the Jedi's continued resolve and defiance. With great regret Ventress slipped back out of the room, not once turning her back on the confirmed enemy. As she scurried away from his vicinity Obi-Wan finally allowed himself to relax, breathed out a breath he hadn't even realised he was holding. He slumped back down on the sleep couch whilst fighting the ever-growing trembling running rampant through all his muscles. Only now did he allow his rock-solid grip on the saber hilt to fall away, only now did he feel at peace enough to _truly_ relax.

He fell back into the calming currents of the force in preparation of what was ahead, ignoring the blatant darkness overwhelming the majority of his surroundings for now. Obi-Wan continued on with his task of healing, of strengthening and simply hoped that his preparations would be enough for the great war ahead.

* * *

Dooku's battered freighter was in chaos, firefights raging across the ship were only just coming to an end. Anakin waited whilst the precious seconds ticked by, moments which he knew were crucial and where the Jedi should be moving after the new threat, saving Obi-Wan. He had been ordered to a safe point as soon as Master Windu was called away to aid in other areas of the ship, as much as he could see the Jedi Master wanted to hear what Anakin had to say, duty came first.

So now Anakin sat huddled in one of the ships corners, seemingly forgotten by the wave of Jedi that still continued to take control of the vessel. The volleys of shots and explosions had stopped some time ago however leading Anakin to the conclusion that this battle was mercifully coming to an end, they had already wasted too much time.

His musings were interrupted as someone peaked his attention, he glanced upwards towards the sudden flare in the force and met eyes with a blond haired Jedi Master. Anakin didn't recognise her or the Padawan at her side yet the force seemed familiar around her, it was certainly odd. As soon as the blonde Jedi locked eyes with him recognition sparked for her, she hurried over to his shivering form grabbing a thermal blanket along the way. Anakin stood to meet the newcomer, curiosity almost overwhelming him enough to miss the niceties required for a Jedi Master. He bowed clumsily as she reached him, the newcomer only smiled sadly indicating there was no need for that in such dire circumstances.

Anakin allowed the Jedi Master to steer him towards an actual seat, draping the blanket over his shoulders as they went. The gentleness of her actions almost reminded Anakin of his own mother, of the caring nature she always had. He felt the burning gaze from the Padawan and met the challenging glare, _what was this kid's problem?_

"Ferus, fetch me some water please." It seemed the Jedi Master had noticed the tension between the two and thought it best to separate them now, Anakin decided he liked the newcomer.

"Anakin, we haven't met but my name is Siri, I'm good friends with Obi-Wan." She turned back towards him as she started, her grip tightening on his shoulders ever so slightly as she mentioned Obi-Wan's name. _His first name,_ Anakin felt there was something more than Siri was claiming but quickly banished the thought as he realised it was his Master's business.

"Pleased to meet you." He smiled genuinely at the newcomer, her kindness having already won him over. She allowed a small smile to grace her features too before they became grave again, she was _worried_ about Obi-Wan.

"Where is he, Anakin?"

How much did Siri know? The almost pleading look she was giving him had Anakin feel awful, he wished he could give Obi-Wan's friend good news, he wished his Master would come bounding around the corner and would declare everything okay again. Unfortunately for Anakin this was not the case.

"He's gone with Count Dooku, they're on their way to the Sith Lord," Anakin spoke the deadly words quickly, understanding what it would mean for his Master. There was no way the Council would understand why Obi-Wan did what he did, even Anakin had had doubts over the past few days. Obi-Wan had slipped dangerously close to the dark side but Anakin knew their farewell was an act on Obi-Wan's part, on closer reflection he too wished that his Master's actions had been to fool Dooku all along. He believed in his Master even if no-one else would.

Siri's face morphed from shock to misery as the truth revealed Obi-Wan's perilous predicament, he was about to come face to face with a Sith Lord whilst still being surrounded by the enemy.

"It's not what you think," Anakin quickly spluttered. "He's not dark, Obi-Wan did it to save me and I believe he is tricking Dooku."

Siri pondered over Anakin's concerns for less than a second, fierce protectiveness taking over her features as she too believed in her friend. Anakin marvelled at the swift decision and again realised he liked this Jedi a lot, she hadn't even questioned Obi-Wan's allegiance meaning she had to _know_ him very well.

Before they could continue Ferus returned with some water which Anakin took gratefully, he did not return alone however. The central base filled with Jedi including many of the Council, it was then that Anakin realised the fighting sounds seemed to have ceased. Master Yoda and Master Windu made their way towards him as soon as they entered, realising Anakin was the only one now who had all the answers. This time Anakin did not make the same mistake as before, he bowed deeply before both revered Master's and strove to release his impatience into the force. Every second they delayed was another for Dooku to get further away with Obi-Wan.

"Alright you are, Padawan?" Yoda's kind words broke through his haze.

"I'm fine, Master, it's Obi-Wan who needs our help," Anakin spluttered despite his attempt to control his speech. "He and Dooku are on their way to confront a Sith Lord."

Mace Windu's eyes almost popped out of his sockets as the words were spoken, he shook his head incredulously over the new information and Anakin could sense from here the Jedi Master was seriously considering if Anakin had gone mad.

"A Sith Lord?" The Korun finally managed to find the words he needed.

Anakin nodded desperately, unknowing what to say to make the councillor's believe his next shocking secret. If they found that revelation a shock then how would they take the news of the Sith Lord's identity?

"It's Chancellor Palpatine." Anakin decided it was just best to speak the plain simple truth, he knew the force would confirm what he was saying, of course the Jedi Master's still had to look…

Master Windu actually scoffed as Anakin revealed the secret, he looked to Yoda for reassurance that it wasn't just he who thought this whole tale mad. Anakin even heard Siri's sharp intake of breath over the truth, most likely in denial like he had been the first time Obi-Wan had told him. All eyes turned to Yoda as the little Master mulled over the words, he had been quiet as soon as Anakin had started speaking, that could either be a good thing or bad.

Finally the Grand-Master opened his eyes with a pained expression, Anakin realised the Jedi had seen the truth and maybe worryingly what was happening to Obi-Wan. He could not lie to the Council, Obi-Wan had come dangerously close to the dark side and even though he believed in his Master the facts certainly stacked up against him.

"The truth Skywalker speaks," Yoda finally stated, causing Mace to lose all composure. For the most stoic Jedi Anakin had ever seen it seemed Master Windu could still be shocked, could still lose his cool.

Anakin could feel everyone's minds whirring as the truth set in, the _implications_ became known. This man that had been their chancellor was in fact their greatest enemy, he had played the game masterfully well and had almost got away with it. No-one had seen this coming, not even Master Yoda.

"More there is, Padawan?" Yoda had obviously picked up on his travelling thoughts, maybe even seen a few of his memories with Obi-Wan.

"Obi-Wan went with Dooku willingly." The response to his information was immediate, Mace's confusion morphed into rage and even Yoda dropped his head sadly. It was worrying that even someone as wise as Yoda had been so blind to the events happening here, the darkness clouding all.

"Master's, I don't believe Obi-Wan has turned, he went with Dooku to save me so I could tell you about Palpatine. He's tricking him, he must be!" After seeing their reactions Anakin desperately pleaded with the two councillor's who seemed mostly unaffected by his words. It was heart-breaking, how could they give up on Obi-Wan?

"Much darkness surrounds Obi-Wan, lost he may be." Yoda's usual steady voice all of a sudden sounded so very old, ancient even. The weight of the loss saddening each and every one of them, it was then Anakin realised why. They were mentally preparing themselves to stop Obi-Wan, their friend and brother.

"No…" Anakin whispered, unable to believe what he was seeing. He refused to believe he had been wrong, Obi-Wan had asked his Padawan to trust him and he did. There was no way Obi-Wan had truly fallen, he couldn't believe it he _wouldn't_.

"Master's, we all know Obi-Wan, he is such a stickler for the rules he drove all of us mad! I agree with Anakin there is no way he would allow that _monster_ to change him." Siri passionately pleaded to the two revered Master's, Anakin smiled at his ally thankful that someone else believe in Obi-Wan.

"Master Tachi, your opinion is _skewed_ by your personal attachment to Obi-Wan." Mace brutally shot down Siri's opinion as well as confirming Anakin's suspicions that there was something more between his Master and Siri than friendship.

He watched as she bit down an angry retort, realising that getting more emotional now would only serve to prove the Korun Master's point. Anakin despaired over the situation, Obi-Wan needed them more than ever and they were letting him down.

"Why would Kenobi take this on alone if he had not been seduced?" Mace questioned Yoda who still looked grave over the entire situation.

"He didn't have a choice!" Anakin blurted out, only reigning in his outburst and mumbling when Master Windu glared his way. "He was following the will of the force."

For a moment Anakin thought he saw the ghost of a smile grace Mace's features, a smirk over the irony of the statement, of the similarities to Qui-Gon. Of course the moment soon passed as the gravity of the situation abolished any trace of humour. Both Jedi Master's proceeded to break down this new claim and Anakin realised even they were holding out hope that their doubts were wrong. Of course emotions could not be used to make such a judgement, Mace looked down in pity on the Padawan as he resolved to stop the boy's Master if he had indeed done what they all feared, had turned to the dark side.

"Anakin, I know the facts may be hard to accept…" Mace was interrupted by Anakin's shriek of denial.

"No! He's not, you can't…"

"The facts are all pointing in that direction, Master Kenobi is shrouded with darkness. I'm sorry." Mace Windu spoke sincerely, he was truly finding the revelation hard to deal with. Anakin knew that the Jedi would have no qualms fighting darkness even if it did have Obi-Wan's face, he would detach himself from the situation until emotions no longer came into it.

"It doesn't matter what we all think, the fact still remains that Obi-Wan is on his way to the most powerful Sith in the galaxy, _alone._ " Siri began again once she had calmed down. "We need to stop the Sith."

Mace and Yoda both nodded over the statement, at least they could all be agreed on something. Anakin knew that once they reached Obi-Wan they would see what he had, that his Master was firmly entrenched in the light. It didn't matter if the Jedi had misgivings now, all that mattered was getting to Obi-Wan before matters became irreversible. Anakin had a _very_ bad feeling for his Master.

"Much darkness surrounds everything, Palpatine hide in plain sight he did. Stop the Sith we must." Yoda's previous emotions disappeared before Anakin's eyes as he witnessed the Jedi Master prepare for the times ahead, he and Mace nodded in agreement over the new way forward.

"Master Tachi, take Anakin to one of the med-bay's, he needs to be checked over," Mace commanded before turning to issue more orders to surrounding Jedi, informing everyone of their new objective.

"I don't need a medic!" Anakin insisted whilst trying to extract himself from Siri's strong grip, willing to get involved in the upcoming operation.

"Not a request it was." Yoda admonished him before too hobbling off, the sad look he briefly caught on Yoda's face did nothing to calm his rocketing heart rate. _What did he know about Obi-Wan?_

Anakin decided not to believe it, the Master had already been blind to Sidious' true identity, perhaps he was blind now. As Siri steered him off of Dooku's ship, Anakin had the chance to see just how many Jedi Vessels had made the journey. All of them were preparing for dis-embarkment now that they had a new objective, of course the main problem now was where were they heading? Where was Obi-Wan?

"They think he's fallen to the dark, I promise he didn't Siri. I _know_ he didn't." Anakin felt his voice crack as he pleaded with his only ally.

She stopped just before what appeared to be the med-bay, dropped to his level and took him in her arms. If it was hard to hold the emotions back before, it was now nearly impossible. The action reminded him so much of what his Mother would do that Anakin was instantly in tears, fumbling with his sleeve in an attempt to wipe away the evidence.

"Anakin, listen to me." Siri grabbed his arms away gently. "I won't let them hurt him."

The promise went against everything a Jedi should be, it put her trust in Obi-Wan above duty. For once Anakin did not care, he needed the reassurance that he wasn't alone in believing Obi-Wan, had to know Siri would help save his Master. Even if that was from himself.

Anakin nodded at his new friend, thankful that he was no longer alone in this battle. His sniffles decreased as she stood and lead him into the med-bay, leaving him with a droid but promising to return as soon as she knew more information. As much as Anakin would have loved the company he realised the Jedi would need all hands on deck to find Obi-Wan, he had already heard from other Jedi in the corridors that Chancellor Palpatine was missing. Anakin only hoped they could find his Master in time.

As he lay back on the medical table, waiting for the droid to take his vitals, Anakin found himself willing for his Master now more than ever. Every time he had been stuck in a med-bay Obi-Wan had always stormed into the room in a flurry of panic, he would always remain by his Padawan's side to ease the pain away. As Anakin felt his injuries flare he glanced longingly towards the door and marvelled at the sight of Obi-Wan bounding through the entrance. The Jedi Master had no scars of the previous days, his smile lit up the room as he rocketed towards his injured Padawan's side.

Sadly the facade broke, Obi-Wan's image faded away into nothing and Anakin was once again left _alone_. As he allowed the droid to run its tests and administer painkillers Anakin realised just how abandoned he felt, he had rarely felt such solitude in all his life. Distracted by his musings Anakin failed to notice the new addition to the room, and so when said person spoke he was understandably shocked.

"Anakin."

Of course when Anakin heard the voice it sounded oddly familiar, when he glanced upwards to identify the newcomer his heart seemed to stop. Standing before him was a man he knew to be dead, a man he had missed every day since he was ripped from this world.

Qui-Gon.

* * *

 **A/N - And that's all for this week's instalment! I wonder how Anakin will react to Qui-Gon...**

 **Until next time...**


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N - It feels so good to be back in some sort of routine with writing now :) This story is rapidly hurtling towards the finish line and I'm very excited to get started on the sequel! Anyways for now here is the next instalment :) Thanks to everyone still following this the support is much appreciated! Enjoy**

* * *

It took a few moments for Anakin to realise he was falling backwards, the gravity shift sent his head spinning as he tumbled off of the medical table. The ground proceeded to rush upwards to meet his flailing body as he cried out in surprise, shock, _mortification_. The actual fall happened in slow motion as a million thoughts rocketed through his exhausted addled mind.

 _How can Qui-Gon be here?_

 _He's dead though…_

 _How can I hear that voice?_

 _That voice which holds so many memories…_

 _It's finally happened…_

 _I've gone insane…_

As the final deduction became a fully-fledged thought process Anakin Skywalker's body hit the ground with an almighty crash, the one thought surviving throughout was the fact he had clearly gone absolutely positively insane. Various medical equipment smashed around him as time inevitably sped up, all of the victims of his stunned fall joining him also on the cold floor.

"Anakin!" The voice shouted again, all but confirming the Padawan's lunacy.

Fearfully he looked up at the shape of Qui-Gon who had moved around to accommodate Anakin's new position. Anakin couldn't help but stare even though his brain screamed out at the ridiculousness of the entire image, cried out for rest in a desperate attempt to fight off the madness. Qui-Gon, the figure, _the ghost_ knelt down in front of Anakin with a pitied look in his eyes. A kind look that Anakin recognised immediately, this was just how he remembered the Jedi Master. Seeing _that_ look again after all these years brought a lump to the Padawan's throat, he couldn't help the pained feelings unleash even though this was not, _could_ not be real.

"What are you?" Anakin squeaked quietly, his attempts to keep the overwhelming fear out of his voice failing miserably.

As he stared more at the intruder he realised why his brain had churned out the word _ghost_ , the figure was neither here or not here in reality. His form wasn't solid, instead it was almost as if Anakin were staring at a hologram of sorts. He gulped down the rising panic in his chest, realising for the first time that there was no warning blaring at him from the force. Whatever this thing was the force deemed that it held no threat to Anakin, for now anyway.

His instincts eventually kicked in and Anakin scrambled up from the floor as well as putting some distance between himself and the newcomer, intent on finding any defence he could with the lack of weapon. The figure only smiled over the action, which of course proceeded to leave Anakin even more confused. He was surprised nobody had heard the commotion but alas he could not feel anybody nearby, the droid had even seemed to stop working. Anakin was alone with the ghost.

"You know who I am, Anakin."

Anakin almost closed his eyes as the voice struck several chords, he had longed to hear this man speak again, to be alive again. Qui-Gon Jinn had been struck down cruelly before Anakin had even been given the chance to get to know the Jedi Master properly, it was this man who was responsible for Anakin being free today. Of course the recent conversations with his Master had Anakin on the defensive, Qui-Gon had _hurt_ Obi-Wan. Anakin had been blind to it at the time but now with his own Master under so much strain from Dooku all of the insecurities from the past had resurfaced, Qui-Gon's abandonment of him was one of them.

The perfect picture that Anakin had painted of the man had shattered slightly, he had flaws just like everyone else Anakin had just been blind to them at the time. He had ignorantly missed the betrayal towards Obi-Wan, who of course now he had grown even closer to than he had with Qui-Gon.

"How do I know you're him?" Anakin's tone was rather cold, he hadn't purposefully made it that way but mused it was probably down to the new information he had learned from Obi-Wan.

Qui-Gon looked hurt for a full second before the usual serene features were back, alongside a look of understanding. It seemed he knew why the welcome from Anakin was wary at best. From Anakin's point of view, Obi-Wan's struggle with the dark side stemmed from Qui-Gon's misguided actions.

"What does the force tell you, Anakin?"

Anakin furrowed his brows at Qui-Gon, still not allowing himself to believe fully that this could be possible. He didn't want to build himself up for disappointment, even though Qui-Gon had a lot to answer for he was still the first person in a long time to show him kindness, he had shown his mother kindness.

Qui-Gon smiled as if he could hear Anakin's internal battle, perhaps he could these were unchartered waters for Anakin. He decided to do as the man suggested and delved into the reliable currents of the force. What he discovered shocked him, the force was telling him the truth. Even though the truth was literally being screamed into his face Anakin found it hard to swallow, this man was indeed Qui-Gon or he had the presence of Qui-Gon at least. _How was that possible?_

"I wish I had time to explain everything, Anakin, but you know as well as I do time is running out," Qui-Gon implored gravely, worry sparking behind his eyes.

"Obi-Wan…" Anakin deduced, had his Master seen Qui-Gon? Was that why he had been acting so strangely?

"I have been communicating with Obi-Wan for a few days," Qui-Gon confirmed as he read Anakin's surfacing questions.

"How haven't I seen you before?" Anakin struggled to find his voice as the shock finally caught up with his scrambled brain, he wasn't insane. Qui-Gon was really here and he was really speaking to him.

"I've only been able to connect with Obi-Wan when he's been unconscious." Qui-Gon chuckled as if remembering a memory before sobering again. "He needs your help, Anakin."

Anakin couldn't believe his ears what could he do? Why wasn't Qui-Gon speaking to a real Jedi?

"I'm just a Padawan what can I do?" Anakin felt embarrassed even speaking the question, he had never felt more mortified speaking to Qui-Gon before.

Qui-Gon beamed down at Anakin, closing the gap between them as he did so. "Anakin, you are not _just_ a Padawan, you are the chosen one." Anakin huffed at the nickname, evidently not feeling all that special now when Obi-Wan was in so much danger alone. "You may not believe it, young one, but I do, Obi-Wan does."

Anakin's head shot up at that, he of course always knew that Qui-Gon believed in the prophecy but his Master? Obi-Wan had always had doubts when Anakin first arrived at the temple, he never knew his Master believed in such things.

"He does?"

Qui-Gon nodded. "Yes he's seen the potential you have Anakin. It is your destiny to help destroy the Sith, it always has been."

Anakin sat himself back on the medical table, rubbing his newly bruised elbow as he lost himself in thought. What Qui-Gon was saying sounded nutty on the surface but as Anakin thought more about it strangely the words started to ring true, the force chimed it's approval also. That didn't answer the question of how he was going to help though, or even where Obi-Wan was.

"The Council don't believe in him, they think he's fallen to the dark side," Anakin muttered dejectedly, head shooting up to plead with Qui-Gon. "You have to believe in him though right? He's not dark, I know it."

"No he's not."

With just those three little words Anakin felt a great weight lift of his chest, he hadn't realised how much he needed to hear the confirmation from someone other than himself. It didn't stop the fact the Council wouldn't believe him, force if he started chattering about Qui-Gon they would definitely strike him off as a mad-man. If the Council went in thinking Obi-Wan was dark… Anakin had seen the steely resolve in Mace's eyes, even the sad acceptance in Yoda's. They were prepared to end Obi-Wan's life if it came to it, Anakin would have to make sure it didn't.

"Anakin, it doesn't matter what the Council believe right now, all of the repercussions for disobedience can be dealt with after the Sith. They are the priority. As soon as the Jedi see Obi-Wan for themselves they will see what we do, a Jedi in the light."

Anakin nodded slowly as Qui-Gon's words made sense, all he had to was get the Jedi to Obi-Wan's position then they would see it with their own eyes. He had to get help to Obi-Wan pronto.

"How do I find him though?" Anakin seemed to have a bright idea when he looked at Qui-Gon again. "Hey can you tell me where he is?"

Qui-Gon shook his head sadly and Anakin understood immediately, he had already attempted to find Obi-Wan.

"I can't seem to connect with him, Ani, like I said we've only really been able to when he's unconscious."

"Then how are you here with me?" Anakin couldn't understand why the force was aiding in their meeting instead of Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan's.

"It could be any number of reasons, we always struggled to maintain a strong force bond. Obi-Wan and I connected in different ways, he was always more affiliated with the unifying and I the living." Qui-Gon mused.

Anakin mulled over the new information if Qui-Gon couldn't tell him where Obi-Wan was then what were they supposed to do? Jedi teams were undoubtedly investigating leads but they all knew that could take hours, hours they did not have. Most of the fleet were heading back to the core worlds, taking the gamble that from Dooku's last known heading they would at least be closer to the final destination when they learned the truth.

"You can though," Qui-Gon continued, "You have the strongest bond I have ever seen Anakin. I can show you how to find Obi-Wan."

As Anakin looked up into the familiar kind eyes of Qui-Gon Jinn he found himself believing every word, deep down he knew that together they could find his Master.

* * *

Obi-Wan surfaced abruptly from his meditative state as he felt a persistent tugging on his mind, as he attempted to trace where the unusual disturbance was originating from it disappeared. Obi-Wan shrugged off the affair as possibly Qui-Gon attempting to contact him and thought no more on the subject. Stretching his muscles out into alertness Obi-Wan realised the ship he was travelling on no longer seemed to be in hyper-space, they had arrived.

He prepared himself mentally for his next move, realising Dooku's prying mind was reaching out for his. Obi-Wan was expected on the bridge it seemed. The bad feeling manifesting in his solar plexus had now developed into a monumental disturbance, destiny was fast approaching. He had never before in his life felt the weight of the galaxy as he did now, he knew, the force knew, this moment would shape the galaxy as he knew it.

He stretched out his limbs and breathed in a sigh of relief that the healing seemed to have done its job, there was thankfully a lack of pain when he moved, no usual muscle twinges as he worked unused appendages back to life. Each and every one of his cells felt energised, he felt strong and more so felt _right_ with his course of action.

Obi-Wan stood and squared his tunics, assuring his saber was attached to his hip securely. The saber chimed in its purity as he gripped the weapon, centering himself with its currents as he savoured the last moments alone. Now ready as he would ever be, Obi-Wan strolled out of his temporary quarters in the direction of destiny.

Obi-Wan walked promptly towards the bridge, locking down his mind and slipping back into the all too familiar role of Dooku's apprentice. He had been at this too long, deceiving and pretending for too long. It was exhausting work keeping his true motives from somebody like Dooku, Ventress had never been fooled. She was too blinded by hatred towards him to see anything else, thankfully it didn't matter this late in the game she wouldn't make a move until her survival was secure. With somebody like Sidious around they all had to work together, regardless of their differences. He only hoped the Witch could hold back her trigger finger long enough to even the odds slightly, Obi-Wan had a big task ahead of him that was for sure.

He reached the vessel's bridge just as the final thought processes were locked away, Dooku turned and offered a brief smile in his direction, taking in his new-found strength and approving. Of course Obi-Wan also caught the death-glare and heard the growl being thrown his way from one extremely ticked-off Witch, he knew he shouldn't but Obi-Wan couldn't help but smirk back in her direction. He felt the ripple of amusement from Dooku at his defiant action, more prominently however he sensed the overwhelming rage build inside of Ventress, threatening to boil over and cut him to shreds. He met the challenge strongly making it perfectly clear he would have no qualms in cutting her down if she came close, thankfully Ventress didn't push the issue and resorted to storming off the bridge.

Dooku's chuckle reached his ears in the next second, the ex-Jedi certainly was enjoying their rivalry. Obi-Wan moved to stand by his _new_ Master, knowing deep down that there could only ever be one to take that mantle. Qui-Gon.

"I see you are much improved." Dooku observed after his critical sweep.

Obi-Wan fought back the urge to verbally vomit over his next words, this would have to sound sincere.

"Yes, Master."

The slight smirk splayed on Dooku's widened to even fool Obi-Wan that this man was genuinely happy, well at least as joyous as he had seen the Count the past few days. Dooku was actually exuberant that Obi-Wan was standing by his side just as he had envisioned, had _dreamed_. The tremendous wave of guilt once again crashed against Obi-Wan's adamantine shields, he held strong throughout the assault never once showing outwardly his inner turmoil. The sooner this farce show was over the better.

Out of the viewport a planet was finally growing into existence, the vessel slowed as it prepared for atmosphere entry. Obi-Wan's breath caught in his chest as he took in the planet below, the _evilness_ exuding from it. The planet's surface looked just as dark as it felt, the colour of the Sith themselves, Crimson. Huge dust storms raged across the surface inducing strange effects from orbit, it almost looked as if the storms were in fact doing battle, constantly re-emerging after death to duel forever. Huge stalagmite-looking rocks peppered the landscape, only interrupted by ancient buildings or stony statues. Obi-Wan recognised the planet, not only from the surface alone but from the screams of a hundred ghosts he could hear. Moraband.

He clamped down on his bond with Anakin as he felt a tug there again, how could his Padawan be able to even touch his mind from so far away? If Dooku caught even the slightest hint of what was occurring in his mind he was dead, Obi-Wan kept his perilous musings over the darkness and what it was doing to him as well as the reemergence of Anakin in his mind to himself. Dooku likely thought his rise in heart rate was due to apprehension or even excitement over the planet below and the foe he could feel from even here. In truth Obi-Wan was frightened, he had imagined the worst or thought he had anyway but being above the Planet of the Sith housing the most powerful Sith was something else entirely. He could _feel_ just how much darkness engulfed this place and the most heart-breaking fact was the lack of light. In all his life no matter how he let his emotions consume him or how much evil he came across, Obi-Wan had never felt a place where darkness reigned supreme enough to actually extinguish the light. _This was his worst nightmare…_

Soon enough the ground grew larger as their ship swooped and swerved the rocky terrain, Dooku indicated to the pilot to land closer to what appeared to be a temple. On closer inspection Obi-Wan realised it was in fact a Sith temple, the fact made him recoil from the force. On this planet it was like touching the darkness all over again, drawing on it as it empowered his muscles, gave him strength. Dooku and company would thrive with this power he would not, Obi-Wan sought out the force that he believed in and was thankful that finally he caught hold of just a slither of light. It was enough. Thankful that even on a Sith Planet the light could never truly be eradicated, the longer he focused on the slither the more prominent it became. He breathed in the currents and prepared himself to face the product of evil as darkness swept across the planet's surface, Sidious.

"You recognise the planet?" Dooku queried, thankfully too busy with the preparations to notice Obi-Wan's slight tremor in his hand.

"Moraband," Obi-Wan grimly replied.

Dooku strode back towards Obi-Wan now the final preparations were complete. "Not from personal experience I imagine?" He asked with an amused twinkle in his gaze.

"Ah no…" Obi-Wan chuckled lightly, why in the blazes would he ever put himself through this madness willingly.

"I thought not, the Jedi fear the Sith."

 _'And quite rightly to…'_ Obi-Wan thought to himself as he felt the darkness brush up against his psyche again, prying tendrils attempting entry into his mind. He shook off the prying thoughts and once again felt as if he was being watched, it was the most peculiar feeling like a nagging in the back of his mind.

"Can you feel him, Obi-Wan?" Dooku growled as he indicated his greatest enemy, of course Obi-Wan could feel him. He had never felt anything or anyone so powerful in all his years. "Sidious…" Dooku finished in a feral voice not much above a whisper, venomously stating his intentions with words alone.

"Yes…" Obi-Wan began just about managing to keep the tremor out of his voice, he couldn't help but feel the shiver traversing his spine however as a dark presence pressed against him again. "I can _feel_ his power."

Obi-Wan spoke the truth as he couldn't help but keep a small quiver out of his tone, this Sidious scared him and he couldn't hide it.

Dooku seemed to be unaffected by the same emotions, perhaps his hatred and loathing for the dark lord was serving to blind him in a sense. He would race head first towards the powerful lord fuelled by thoughts of revenge, not once stopping and heeding the rational knowledge that this Sith Lord could crush them all.

A hand reached for his shoulder and Obi-Wan forced himself to meet Dooku's stare, there was no hint of the man Obi-Wan had witnessed earlier, no lightness in him. This man was consumed and overwhelmed by hatred, so much so that even his eyes had turned a ghastly shade of yellow.

"He cannot stand against the both of us, Obi-Wan, his _power_ will fall under our wrath," Dooku promised, eyes glinting over the imaginings of Sidious' death.

He nodded in agreement which served to satisfy Dooku, the ex-Jedi stared out along the wide expanse eyes fixed on the temple, gleaming gaze picking out Sidious out of all the darkness on the planet. Obi-Wan wished he could believe as Dooku could, not with the whole destroying thing obviously but with the fact that together they could overcome this great enemy. He could see now why Dooku wanted an apprentice, a _strong_ apprentice. The Sith Lord held as much presence in the force as Master Yoda did, force more than Anakin did, for the dark though not the light. The contrasts were truly staggering.

As Obi-Wan thought back to Anakin he realised a lot of the tugging on his mind could be traced back to their bond, perhaps the boy was attempting to make contact? Obi-Wan couldn't hear anything or even feel anything however so it appears the desperate attempt was in vain. His Padawan must be worried, Obi-Wan had essentially bid him farewell and with the new facts Obi-Wan was becoming more sure of his fate. It was alright though, if he were to die this way then his duty would be complete and now the Jedi had the information they needed to carry on, hopefully the galaxy would not fall the same way as it did before. Perhaps his death would prove to be for a good cause.

Obi-Wan followed the Count off onto the planet's surface as their vessel finally landed near to the Sith Temple, Ventress had already disembarked by the time he touched foot on Moraband. The ground felt warm under his boots, the searing heat already heating the soles of his feet. As they walked towards fate, destiny, _death_ , Obi-Wan felt a real presence of Anakin in his mind even if it were for just a fleeting second. His Padawan had managed to connect with him even with being so many light-years away, the second presence almost caused Obi-Wan to double over in surprise, he realised that even though Anakin meant well this would only cause as a distraction. They had said their goodbyes and as much as it broke his heart Obi-Wan proceeded to block off the connection, seemingly for good.

As he, Ventress and Dooku strode towards the ever-growing evil emanating inside the temple he realised the only one out of all them that was confident seemed to be Dooku, it was over-confidence however. He could tell by Ventress' slight fidgeting that she was apprehensive over the upcoming meeting, she was the sensible one here. Only a fool would be walking towards this fate with open arms, it only served to prove his thoughts about Dooku. The man was too blinded by revenge.

Dust clouds swam around the trio as they walked, soon enough blocking their viewpoints in several directions. When Obi-Wan glanced back he found the ship was no longer visible, lost behind their wake. He smiled at the irony, there would be no turning back now.

* * *

In another part of the galaxy Anakin Skywalker was in deep concentration, he strove to connect with Obi-Wan's mind just as Qui-Gon had instructed, managing brief connections to carry out what Qui-Gon explained. He and Qui-Gon knew that even with their incredible bond that at this distance communication would be impossible, the best that Anakin could hope for was to be linked long enough to be able to _see_ what Obi-Wan was seeing, maybe even understand a thought process.

Of course the harder Anakin strained the more sweat dripped down his brow, the more strain he put on his own exhausted systems, Qui-Gon sat beside the Padawan as he struggled through natural barriers Obi-Wan had erected. As he caught flashes of memories or thoughts he shouted them out for Qui-Gon to remember, hopefully they could paint enough of a picture to garner Obi-Wan's location.

"A ship, above a red planet."

Qui-Gon reassured Anakin as he was once again thrown out of his mentor's mind, it was incredibly straining to establish a connection across the distance of space itself. Anakin reimmersed himself in the force and endeavoured to get more information, specifics.

"Incredible evil, I'm hearing words… Sith Planet."

Anakin gasped as the connection was shut off again, seemingly from Obi-Wan's end. He didn't know why Obi-Wan was kicking him out but he must have a good reason, he could sense his Master's fear over the darkness below. A darkness so evil that the entire planet consumed nearly all light. He shivered as the feeling finally fell away, looking up hopefully at Qui-Gon to see if that information was enough.

"I'm sorry, Ani, there are a few Sith Planets, we need something more," Qui-Gon apologetically answered, feeling the guilt over asking such a tremendous ask of a mere Padawan.

Anakin nodded his understanding and readied himself again, he had to make this connection worth it they were running out of time. Not to mention Anakin was exhausted, he almost felt like passing out the last time he couldn't keep this up forever. He delved deeper than ever before, straining with every inch of his mind towards Obi-Wan. For one brief moment Anakin felt himself inside Obi-Wan's mind, he gazed around upon the dust-ridden planet and started to shout everything he could see and everything Obi-Wan could feel.

"Rock planet, no life, temple, Dooku, Sidious is nearby too in the temple." Anakin reeled off the information as quick as lightning, gasping as he finally stumbled upon the word he was looking for. The planet name.

"Moraband!" He exuberantly shouted as his eyes flew open and he collapsed back on the medical table, exhaustion setting in as he realised he was spent.

"Easy, Anakin, easy…" Qui-Gon almost went to reach out to the Padawan before realising the impossibility of the action. "You did it, Ani."

Anakin breathed in deep gulps of air as he fought the urge to black out, he had almost gone too far in the last attempt. The fact that truly terrified him though was how Obi-Wan had felt when he was inside his mind, he felt the elder Jedi come to terms with his likely death and his farewell to Anakin.

Even if Anakin had been able to stay longer he knew he would have been kicked out almost immediately, Obi-Wan had blocked off their bond so he would not be distracted in the upcoming battle. Anakin had felt the tremendous power of the dark side on Moraband, had felt the over-powering presence of Sidious just as Obi-Wan had. Anakin was fearful for his Master.

"He was so powerful…" Anakin managed to splutter out, his mind finally righting itself to compile a coherent sentence. If Palpatine had felt that powerful from being so far away then what was it like to be up close… Anakin realised he never wanted to find out the answer to that question.

"In the dark side, Anakin, that is the difference." Qui-Gon's worried expression swam into Anakin's view as his sight finally righted itself.

Anakin didn't have time to ponder on Qui-Gon's words, the Jedi needed to get to Obi-Wan now otherwise he would surely fall. Anakin didn't know if he could live in a world where Obi-Wan Kenobi didn't exist, he sure as hell didn't want to find out. He raced out of the room in search of the closest Jedi, with the one goal in mind of passing on the new found information about Moraband. If the Jedi would question how he knew Anakin would simply explain the matter later, as soon as Yoda heard the older Jedi Master would surely see the truth in the words.

As Anakin rocketed away on his mission Qui-Gon was left alone in the med-bay, he sighed as he once again attempted to connect with Obi-Wan but was rebuffed. It seemed his old Padawan wasn't just shielding from Anakin, he was with Qui-Gon too. Whether that was a subconscious decision or not the outcome was still the same, for now it seemed Obi-Wan was on his own.

With that deadly reminder Qui-Gon went to the shadow of Anakin, the one person who had the ability to tip the scales in their favour. The boy may not believe in his destiny but Qui-Gon did. He had seen it. Anakin Skywalker was more powerful and influential than he believed, he just needed someone to show him the way. Qui-Gon vowed to help the Padawan save his Master, he could not change history just to see his Padawan befall death. Anakin and Obi-Wan together were going to defeat the Sith Lord, Qui-Gon would see to it.

* * *

As soon as Obi-Wan stepped foot inside the temple he had to brace himself, the intrusion into his mind was not a welcome one. Ghosts from the past as well as Sith's voices rang inside his mind seeing the truth immediately, he was not an agent of the darkness.

 _'Little Jedi hiding in the shadows..'_ One mocked.

Obi-Wan recoiled as the voices grew louder, the words worse the further he walked into death's jaws. Dooku didn't seem to notice which was a blessing, the man already had his saber hilt in his hands as he zoned in on the reason they were here. He felt Ventress sneer which indicated she knew and had noticed his struggles, as always.

He strove to block out the remaining whispers as they grew closer to the centre of the temple, the power of the dark side here was simply striking it actually took Obi-Wan's breath away. His muscles twitched near the hilt of his saber, ready to ignite the blade if any were to come near him. Ventress actually looked at home in the surroundings which didn't serve to surprise Obi-Wan too much.

As the trio crossed the last threshold into the temple the weight of this task was inevitably felt, this was the crossroads in the galaxy. Whatever occurred here would decide the fate of billions.

Obi-Wan was brought out of his musings as he caught sight of Palpatine, the reason all of their lives had collided so spectacularly. The old man stood in the center of the arena, crimson saber already lit. _Ready for battle…_ The eerie glow served to bring some light into the shadowy room, leaving a deadly echo on the Sith Lord himself.

Obi-Wan attempted to peer under the man's hood as he Ventress and Dooku strode to meet the Sith Lord, he couldn't see much but he could see enough of the man's face to identify it to be Palpatine indeed. If the face wasn't enough then the voice certainly was when he spoke, just as Obi-Wan remembered from the visions.

"Darth Tyranus, you come here to challenge me?" The Dark lord sneered, clearly amused by the idea.

"I come here to _end_ you," Dooku growled back allowing his saber to free itself also. The thrumming echoed around the room as both crimson weapons outshone the darkness.

"Big words for one so weak he needs help."

Obi-Wan could feel what the words were doing to Dooku's temperament, he groaned inwardly as the Sith was accomplishing exactly what he wanted which was to unsettle Dooku. Then again these people drew power from hatred so maybe the Sith Lord's taunts would indeed be his undoing. From his left Obi-Wan heard Ventress also draw both her saber's, he was the only one to go it seemed.

As he stared at the surprisingly still form of Sidious, in contrast Dooku was shivering with near-uncontrollable rage, unwanted flashes reformed in his mind. Flashes from the visions which continued to haunt him long after witnessing them. Obi-Wan saw Palpatine take away the boy he loved, corrupt _his_ Padawan, change Anakin into the monster that was Vader. He felt himself start to lose control as the unwanted emotions resurfaced, the whispers in the dark seemed to goad him on as he struggled to release the fury. Dooku noted the anger and smiled approvingly, the action alone made Obi-Wan push harder for the hate to disappear. He had to be balanced if he were to have any chance over Palpatine. Of course his little _act_ wouldn't hold up in a fight, not once Dooku saw he wasn't willing to draw on his loathing for this creature.

 _Perhaps I'm not releasing everything…_ Obi-Wan mused as he grimaced over the image of Anakin's burning corpse, this man standing before him was responsible for all of it, _for Qui-Gon…_

The Sith Lord's attention snapped to him, possibly being alerted to the attention and Obi-Wan felt a shiver crawl up his spine as the man he knew as Chancellor pressed against his mind. Obi-Wan snapped back as the Sith Lord pried, not willing to give the enemy anything that could be used against him. Of course with one so powerful the mind probe had revealed something, Palpatine could sense how much he hated him just not _why._ Obi-Wan would never let him see what could be, it would make the man's thirst for power grow exponentially.

"You brought a Jedi along," The man purred. "An angry Jedi…" His cackling rebounded off the walls as the Sith Lord thought of the irony, he was the only _true_ Sith here.

"He is my apprentice." Dooku allowed a smirk to spread across his face as Sidious' cackles stopped.

"There can only be two…" The man reminded his former apprentice, threat clear to all in the room.

Obi-Wan's pure azure saber joined the melding of lights as he noticed a flicker of movement coming from the dark Lord, he was preparing to strike. Ventress shifted next to him which meant the Witch had too noted the change in stance, each of them had their saber's ready to duel. Now just to find out who would make the first move…

"And there will be," Dooku promised, his own intent to end his former Master's life out in the open. As if any of them needed the words, everyone present could _feel_ Dooku's disdain for Sidious.

"We shall see…" Sidious grinned before launching into a frenzied attack.

It had begun.

 **A/N - I know I know, a little bit of a pain leaving it on that note but I had to split it somewhere! As you can probably imagine everything kicks into top gear in the next few instalments :D**

 **Until next time...**


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N - First of all I would like to apologise for not getting this up sooner! It's been a very busy week so this is the earliest I have been able to get back to my computer! Thank you for everyone still following and please don't forget to review!**

* * *

"Are you prepared, Anakin?"

Anakin glanced up into the trusting eyes of Qui-Gon as nerves wracked his frame again, the full importance of his task weighing heavily down upon him. He felt weak from their practise, felt drained from Qui-Gon's hasty tutelage. Anakin didn't have the knowledge at present to really understand what he was prepared for only that he knew for Obi-Wan he could do it, he _would_ do it.

"Yes, Master…" He furrowed his brows in a classic example of befuddlement. "I still don't understand what exactly I'm prepared for?"

Qui-Gon simply chuckled at the statement and held his hand out to ruffle the boy's hair, it was only when the hand fell straight through Anakin's head that Qui-Gon remembered circumstances and sobered. The action had evidently been a familiar one with Obi-Wan as his Padawan.

"You don't have to understand everything now, Anakin, you only have to trust in yourself and the force. Can you do that?"

Anakin mulled over the words as he finally felt enough energy to sit up on his sleep couch, he certainly could trust in the force but himself? Anakin was still only a Padawan no matter what Qui-Gon thought about the 'chosen one' prophecy. He would of course do all that he could, he would do his best and hopefully that would be enough.

He glanced out of the viewport anxiously as he answered in the affirmative, wanting to reach Obi-Wan's location sooner rather than later. All of the Jedi fleet were rocketing towards Moraband, he could feel the trepidation emanating from each and every one of them on board as they travelled closer to the darkness. There was no doubt that this was where Palpatine was hiding, they could all _feel_ the stink he left on the force.

He had been confined to quarters and ordered to rest, Anakin knew the real reason why. They didn't want him in the way when they went to apprehend Obi-Wan, _tough._ Anakin had absolutely no intention of being side-lined, he would not allow the Jedi to mistakingly hurt one of their own when Anakin knew the truth. Siri had agreed albeit reluctantly to smuggle him off the ship when they landed, seeing the importance of his quest and realising Anakin would carry out the same action anyway. Nothing would come between him and his Master, he just wished that Obi-Wan was still fighting when he got there. The alternative was unbearable to think about.

Qui-Gon caught onto his thought track and sighed, Anakin realised he too was just as worried about Obi-Wan perhaps they were still having trouble connecting…

"We will save Obi-Wan, Anakin."

Anakin glanced back at Qui-Gon and saw the grave features adorning his face, even he didn't believe his words 100%. They still served to be a small comfort however as Anakin chose to believe not just in the force, he chose to believe in Qui-Gon's words and Obi-Wan himself.

 _'We're coming, Master, just hold on.'_

* * *

Five sabers screamed out defiantly in the ghastly surroundings, the resulting illumination splattering the ancient crumbly walls being a mix of crimson and azure flashes, mostly crimson of course due to the sheer number of self-proclaimed Sith in attendance. The resulting effect cast a deadly red glow in the immediate area, painting each duellist in the bloody shade. Obi-Wan reflected that the colour actually suited Dooku and company, it completed their murderous image. Thankfully he had been given back his own saber, a weapon he had fought with many a time for _good._ Obi-Wan's fingers subconsciously slid over the grooves and curves of the hilt, remembering every moment he had ever wielded the saber with the knowledge this could very possibly be the last.

A mad cackle rebounded off the wall's as Sidious' vicious attack came rather too close to Obi-Wan's skin for comfort, he grimaced as his saber just about managed to halt a swing which would have taken his arm off. Obi-Wan was rather fond of his arms, best not let them get hacked off so early into the dance. As he half stepped half stumbled backwards under the weight, Dooku came from behind Sidious to re-engage the enemy once again. Obi-Wan could also feel Ventress to his left, he could sense her watching the movements of both fighters carefully before timing the perfect moment to undercut Sidious. Of course the Sith Lord saw the attack coming before Ventress had even decided to make it, his saber blocked both Dooku's and the Witch's two blades seemingly at once whilst also skillfully managing to manoeuvre the three of them onto the same side again.

Obi-Wan rejoined the battle as he spotted Palpatine's right side was unprotected, he was no longer surprised when the Sith Lord's saber found his, no longer flinched when the sparks scintillated off of the melding sabers to singe skin and tunics alike. Sidious seemed to know every single move they were going to make before they had even thought of them, the longer the duellist's battled the less confidence Obi-Wan had in them succeeding. The truth of the matter was Sidious was _too_ powerful for them, even though they had him outnumbered three to one.

He marvelled at the sheer skill required to hold back the three of them at once, well two at once really with how well the new-formed team worked together. It was true Obi-Wan and Ventress never really worked in synch in the attacks but it surprised Obi-Wan that he and Dooku did. They could read each other's next moves almost as quickly as Sidious did, working together oddly felt right in some convoluted way. Obi-Wan mused that perhaps it felt so familiar fighting alongside the ex-Jedi was because of just _who_ the man had trained, Qui-Gon. Parts of his Master's fighting style would have been inspired by his own Master, Dooku. Obi-Wan of course imitated more than one of Qui-Gon's moves it was as if he were trained by Dooku in ways, seeing the saber move he could almost imagine the blade were in fact emerald and when he glanced into those eyes they would be kind and gentle, _not aflame_.

He wouldn't even have to look into the Count's eyes to know how absolutely furious the man was, how much rage he felt towards Sidious, he could see perfectly clearly by the man's overly-aggressive moves. Dooku was a remarkably skilled swordsman, each and every assault was precise and deadly always aiming for a killing strike rather than maiming. Obi-Wan mused that the Count could even give Mace Windu a run for his money, that however did not seem to be enough to defeat Sidious and Dooku was starting to realise it.

The attack's from the man started to become uncharacteristically sloppy as his frustration bled through into the fighting, soon it was Dooku on the back foot with Palpatine baring down on him mercilessly. Even though Sidious was most probably the oldest in the room he was faster than all of them, his attacks like lightning cutting through all of them.

As Obi-Wan moved to allow Ventress room he noted an opportunity, they could effectively box the Sith Lord in and if they were really lucky one of the trio might catch a break. Obi-Wan closed the circle whilst switching to swing overhead, noting Ventress aiming at the Sith's midriff. The result did not have quite the desired effect but Obi-Wan did spot a flash of panic sprawl across Sidious' features before suddenly the man was flying upwards. He landed behind Obi-Wan and swung almost before the Jedi had a chance to register what was happening, luckily his saber was already high ready for the next swing so he met the deadly slash with his own defence.

The Sith kept one hand on his saber to press down on Obi-Wan and used the other to send Ventress flying in a vehement force push, Obi-Wan winced as he heard the sickening crunch of her body making contact with the ceiling then floor. Before Obi-Wan could readjust his position to allow for Dooku to aid him he heard the ex-Jedi gasping for breath, it was then his mind registered that Sidious appeared to be squeezing the air in front of him. With his allies out of the dance for now Sidious turned his attention fully to Obi-Wan, his yellow hate-filled eyes bearing into his own. That's when Sidious spun out of the lock just to slash downwards again, not giving Obi-Wan the chance to regain a more solid footing in the process.

Sparks flew as the crimson saber was held at bay _just_ by the blue, death being denied it's latest victim. The Sith Lord's attack was filled with such rage, empowered so greatly by the dark side that Obi-Wan was actually being pressed backwards, back bending at an exceedingly uncomfortable angle. Obi-Wan gritted his teeth as he felt old wounds starting to flare, he was pushing his body too far and too fast but what else was there to do? The sickly smile from the Sith cut through his very soul, leaving a chill in its wake. Obi-Wan knew this was what it was to stare into the face of _evil._

"Silly little Jedi…" Palpatine hissed darkly.

The chilling voice reaffirmed his panic he could still hear Dooku gasping for precious air and Ventress was still picking herself up, if Obi-Wan did not think of something clever soon the Sith's sheer power would overwhelm his and that would be the end of it. He gritted his teeth against the continual strain closing his eyes to focus on his options, it seemed Sidious saw this as a sign of defeat as his cackling increased. Obi-Wan saw only one path forwards, he needed Dooku back in the duel.

Releasing a final breath Obi-Wan allowed his legs to buckle beneath him, no longer pressing back on the crimson saber screaming for his blood. As he fell backwards he used the momentum to roll away from the descending saber, unluckily for Obi-Wan he had still not been fast enough. The crimson saber scraped against his arm, not deep enough to render the limb useless but certainly enough to elicit a strangled scream and cause blinding white hot pain to cascade down the wounded appendage.

The manoeuvring all happened in less than a second and soon Obi-Wan was back on his feet arm outstretched to manipulate the force with his own intention, calling on his precious reserves desperately to do so. Sidious had almost reached Obi-Wan's position again intent on baring down on the seared Jedi. The Sith Lord saw precisely what Obi-Wan intended and just before the force shove hit he brought his own arms up to deflect or absorb the energy, Obi-Wan did not know for sure he did not have enough knowledge of such things. The peculiar thing was he had seen somebody perform the feat before, Anakin.

Sidious managed to deflect most of the attack only sliding back a few paces as the force dissipated around him, it had been enough though. In all the distraction the hold on Dooku had been released and Obi-Wan could feel the furious man was ready to re-join the fray. Looking to his right Obi-Wan could see that Ventress was also back in the game, remaining largely unharmed by the impact.

Everyone seemed to stop as they all stood there, on opposite sides again just as they all had before this dance had begun. Of course much had changed since that short time ago, Obi-Wan had now experienced the sheer power of the darkness here as well as Sidious. He was losing hope by the minute for their cause, the force was oddly silent on the matter. The fact was this man was quite clearly too powerful for them, too skilled and more at home in this evil place than any of them were. It was no coincidence that this was where the Sith Lord had taken refuge, the surroundings were his advantage along with the abundance of darkness he could feed off of here.

The surroundings were filled with the sound of thrumming sabers, the sound of heavy breathing as they all strove to control their rocketing hearts. Obi-Wan's fresh wound flared as Sidious glared right at him, evidently not pleased that the Jedi was still alive to _feel_ anything at all. Obi-Wan could still hear the voice's calling out to him, telling him to embrace the dark and allow his hate to run free, he had no trouble ignoring the taunts at all. That was until Sidious sneered at him.

A flash of destruction almost had Obi-Wan stumble, flashes of the Jedi temple in ruins, hundreds of slaughtered Jedi, of Bant. He quickly blinked back the beginnings of tears, buried the murderous feelings he felt towards the man that had caused so much pain, so much _death._

Just as Obi-Wan stepped forward to take out some of his rage on the monster responsible he suddenly found all of his breath stolen from his lungs. His body sailed backwards through the air as his brain finally caught up to the fact Sidious' arms were now outstretched and aimed at _him._ The coldness he caught in those eyes reminded him again of the visions, of how callous Palpatine had been when he ordered the end of so many lives.

As Obi-Wan sailed backwards at an alarming rate struggling to catch any semblance of a breath, he witnessed Dooku and Ventress unleash a barrage of deadly over-head strikes and limb-removing moves. Before Obi-Wan could observe if any of the duo's attacks were successful he cried out in agony as his back inevitably found a solid surface, the back wall of the temple. He felt and heard several bones crack upon the impact, Obi-Wan had been subject to the force before but never quite like that. It was more powerful than anything he had ever experienced, he imagined it was what the effects of standing next to an explosion felt like.

Ringing started in his head as gravity did its work, pulling his screaming body to the floor like a rag-doll. As he impacted with the hard floor his saber rolled loose, his hands unable to keep a hold of the weapon as other parts of his body screamed for attention. With the saber extinguished Obi-Wan was plunged into darkness, with the voices.

 _'He destroyed everything you loved, you know he deserves to die!'_

 _'We can all feel your anger here, Jedi, you cannot hide it from us.'_

 _'Embrace the dark and take your vengeance!'_

He shook his head in defiance, willing himself to ignore the taunting evil words. He would not give into the urges, even if Palpatine's murder did seem rather appealing right now. Obi-Wan blearily looked up in the direction of the fight and noticed the duelists had moved even further away from him, all four sabers moving faster than Obi-Wan's muddled brain could keep up with.

He gripped his own saber hilt after calling it back into his hand, closed his eyes and listened to the purity of the crystal deep within, the purist thing in this force forsaken place. His eye's shot open at the same time his saber ignited, flooding the blackness with light again. His gaze landed on Sidious just as the man flipped out of range once again and raised his hands, _not good._

Cackling electricity shot out of the Sith Lord's fingertips, targeting either opponent with each hand. Obi-Wan's eyes widened as he witnessed lightning dance through the air, illuminating their end of the temple to show the true height of the ancient structure. It had previously looked limitless as the darkness reigned supreme everywhere. Obi-Wan could not believe his eyes, he had never seen the force manipulated in such a way before.

The sparking energy reached their targets micro-seconds later, Dooku held his saber up defensively and Obi-Wan marvelled at the sight of the lightening being absorbed. _That would come in rather useful…_ He mused.

Unfortunately for Ventress she was not so lucky, the dark energy struck her dead center and immediately the air was filled with her screams. Obi-Wan dragged himself to his feet with as much haste as he could muster, realising the fight was taking a downward turn for them. He raced towards the writhing figure of Ventress, towards the weakening posture of Dooku, towards the cackling madness of Sidious himself.

As Obi-Wan rocketed towards the ghastly scene, Sidious gave up on Ventress allowing her to writhe in sustained agony over the attack and poured all of his energy into his attack on Dooku. The re-doubled effort from the Sith Lord halted the Count's steps forward, in fact it was so strong that Obi-Wan could _feel_ the strain Dooku was under from his distant position. The lightning bounced and cackled off of Dooku's saber the extent of the energy being too much for all of it to be absorbed, Obi-Wan could see sparks make contact with the Count's skin which to his credit did no more than make the man flinch.

As Obi-Wan was almost on top of the situation he noted the look in Sidious' eyes and recognised it, the man was so engrossed with killing his former student Obi-Wan's return had so far gone unnoticed. Dooku was being pushed so far backward under the strain of the prolonged attack that the man was almost kneeling, which would explain the quite frankly gleeful expression adorning Sidious' face.

Obi-Wan knew if he didn't intervene then Dooku would not be able to last much longer under the strain, with that knowledge he leapt into the air as he finally reached their position, ignoring the screaming protests his various wounds were giving him and relying on the adrenaline coursing through his veins. He sailed through the air saber ablaze, in a signature Ataru move towards his intended target. Sadly Sidious snapped out of his murderous rampage quickly enough to perform some acrobatics of his own, Obi-Wan's saber sliced the air where just seconds previously Sidious had been.

He quickly spun and slashed out at the Sith, jumping over a sweeping attack from the clearly rattled man. Sidious had clearly forgotten about Obi-Wan, had been so wrapped up in his visage for vengeance that Obi-Wan's re-emergence had almost gone amiss.

Obi-Wan and Sidious advanced further down the corridor at blazing speeds, saber's swinging, meeting, crashing and parting to begin the dance all over again. Burned clothing and seared flesh assaulted Obi-Wan's nostrils as there were more than a few close shaves, regrettably only on his person.

As much as Obi-Wan wanted to release all of his hatred and anxiety towards the _monster_ in front of him he could not, in the heat of battle in such a place where darkness reigned it almost felt natural to feel such thoughts. The harder he tried to center himself the more flashes of the heart-wrenching future Sidious caused invaded his mind, the more he thought of the very real possibility of this evil creature being able to do it all again if he failed here.

He watched as Palpatine corrupted Anakin, turned the _good_ boy against the Jedi, against him. Tears threatened to pour as images of his closest friends dead bodies flashed in his mind, all dead because of the man at the end of his saber. Qui-Gon's impaled lifeless eyes stared up at him, Siri's ghostly white skin marred with blood, Bant's scorched body lay slain in their _home,_ Anakin's incinerated remains lying on a far away world the hellish screams still hauntingly remembered.

 _'He killed them all… Show him what it means to hurt!'_

The voice's volume rose in conjunction with the vision's number, the more he remembered the louder he could hear the taunts. Obi-Wan felt his blows strengthen as he subconsciously drew on the overpowering force in the area, the longer he remembered the chilling visions and this man's part in all of it the stronger he became, the _angrier_ he became. Sidious' curious gaze only seemed to fuel his growing rage, the Sith Lord could evidently sense at least a handful of the memories and was understandably intrigued by the content.

Obi-Wan shook his head mentally in an attempt to refocus, he knew how dangerous it would be to lose himself here on this world. As hard as it was Obi-Wan managed to at least bury his growing temper and focus on the task at hand, feeling Dooku rushing to his left to re-join the fray.

Obi-Wan focussed on the Sith's right side and aimed low as Dooku focussed on the left aiming high, working in perfect synchrony as if they had trained together for years. The three duelist's focus was at the ultimate level, both Sith's hateful feelings tainting the force but indeed empowering their attacks all the same. From an outside point of view Obi-Wan mused this must look like unorganised chaos, he was sure the velocity that the sabers were moving at could not be tracked with usual sight, it was even becoming a bit of blur for his reflexes.

Obi-Wan found that trying to anticipate the Sith Lord's saber based on sight was useless, it was a complete blur at all times. Instead he breathed in deeply and reached out for the tiny slither which was the light, he listened to each and every one of its urgings and found his anger slip away. Obi-Wan's arms moved almost of their own accord as he knew exactly where and when his blade needed to be to meet the crimson sword. Sidious was forced to flip and pivot time and time again as Obi-Wan and Dooku pushed the man to his absolute limits, taking advantage in the fact they had him covered on either side.

The way the trio moved it was almost as if it were in-fact a dance, almost as if the entire piece had been choreographed. The precision and synchrony of the duel, the beauty and perfection of the melding sabers all led Obi-Wan to the conclusion this was what it felt like to be truly immersed in the force, to _truly_ trust solely on the force and the force alone.

As he and Dooku continually pressed Sidious further down the corridor, feet not staying on the floor for longer than a second, Obi-Wan felt for the first time that they could actually stop Sidious. The power building and bubbling round the trio was in far excess of anything Obi-Wan had ever experienced, even more than when he and Anakin trained. He noted Dooku's grin as the man flashed him a smile, the Count too could feel tides turning in their favour.

Obi-Wan did not allow himself to become complacent, complacency could get them killed. He pressed harder and faster, harder and faster than he ever had in his life. His arms ached and muscles burned as he willed his already blurred limbs to move faster, fast enough to get past Sidious' increasingly weakening guard. Finally Obi-Wan was rewarded with witnessing the Sith Lord's saber moving too slowly for his attack, was rewarded with a hiss of agony.

Obi-Wan's saber sliced the dark Lord's thigh, only managing a few centimetres before the Sith leapt out of the remaining trajectory, nearly falling victim to a decapitating swing from Dooku. Sidious turned the flip into a retreating jump, managing to put a few meters distance between the two sides, Obi-Wan and Dooku had no intention of allowing the man to regroup however. Sidious' death glare would have put off lesser men, Obi-Wan could _feel_ his fury over the wound and had to refrain from wincing as the monster projected the image of him running his saber through Obi-Wan's heart into his mind. Obi-Wan quickly clamped down his mind before preparing for an offensive again, giddy in the knowledge they almost had him. They went to rush the Sith Lord again, already formulating the best moves in which to corner the freshly wounded enemy.

Before Obi-Wan could get very far a blatant warning flared in the force forcing him to spin entirely, he had been so focussed in the force and following it's guidance without question that he had just turned his back on the enemy in a heartbeat. For good reason, if Obi-Wan had not spun to meet the new threat he would have been cut in half from head to toe. _Ventress…_

The Witch was baring her teeth in a feral growl as she pressed down on his startled form, murderous eyes glinting with the anticipation of finally ending his life. Obi-Wan couldn't believe she had been so reckless, he had been so close to stopping Sidious with Dooku, now all their hard work had been undone. He couldn't help but feel his temper flare over the interruption, this Witch had ruined everything.

Ventress pressed him backwards closer to the fiercely fighting Dooku and Palpatine, she very much had the advantage of direction with being on the offensive, Obi-Wan hadn't the chance to strike back as of yet. His brain was still catching up to the change in circumstances and change in opponents, it was very different to be now fighting Ventress who happened to have _two_ very deadly blades.

It was taking all of Obi-Wan's defensive skill to keep the mad Witch at bay and remain outwardly unfazed, even though under the surface he was shocked Ventress would openly challenge him like this. Perhaps she too saw the end coming for Sidious and finally cottoned onto the fact that Dooku had no intention on keeping her around…

"Kill her, my apprentice, make her suffer…" Dooku spat out viciously as he kept his main attention on the more confident Sith Lord.

The flash of betrayal stuck with Ventress for some time, long enough to make Obi-Wan feel some pity for the Witch perhaps she did not realise Dooku's intentions. All she ever wanted was to be the man's apprentice and now he was repaying her loyalty with death, her hurt bled into the force and Obi-Wan could have sworn he saw the beginnings of tears forming in her eyes. _She really had no idea…_

In a flash the sorrowful emotions were obliterated and a rage like no other grew inside of her, consuming her very being with fire as Dooku's words really set in. Suddenly it wasn't just Obi-Wan she despised and hated, it was Dooku too. The longer they fought the more her rage grew, her grief fuelling the fires of vengeance. Obi-Wan's arms actually trembled under the ferocity of her blows, realising he was being pushed closer to the other duelists at a faster pace, she wanted to reach Dooku.

He spun out of the way of her deadly blades with just inches to spare, the blades had passed so close to his skin that he could still feel the remnants of the heat. Now neither of them had their back to the other duelists, they both had a vantage of Ventress' new target. Obi-Wan breathed in deeply and wiped the sweat out of his eyes whilst waiting for his opponent to make their next move, Ventress kept glancing towards Dooku's position and Obi-Wan could tell she was only just about restraining herself from charging towards the traitorous Sith.

From the corner of his eye Obi-Wan could see the fight had taken a dramatic turn, sadly Sidious had regained the upper hand and was busy thrashing Dooku. Just as Ventress was about to make her move both of their attention's snapped towards the more dangerous threat, Sidious. Dooku was sailing backwards further down the corridor saber hilt going flying in the process, he was unconscious.

'Oh not good…' Obi-Wan muttered to himself at the turn of events.

He glanced at his previous opponent Ventress and observed her decision making also, Sidious was the bigger threat here they would deal with each other later. Obi-Wan and Ventress leapt forward as tentative allies once more, her vaulting over the Sith Lord so she and Obi-Wan might box the enemy in.

Sidious was having none of those tactics, realising that's what had him on the back-foot last time. The powerful Sith controlled the pace _and_ direction of the duel with ease, looking every bit as confident as he was before the battle. Obi-Wan could tell the difference as soon as they locked blades, it was as if he was fighting a rejuvenated man. Perhaps in a way he was, the man grew stronger the deeper they travelled into the temple, the darkness and voices here almost accomplishing in their goal of drowning Obi-Wan and the light.

Obi-Wan winced as he caught a boot in the ribs which almost had him flying backwards again, he managed to harness the force to halt his movement so ended up tucking into a roll before landing on his feet. The jolt of the landing still had him cringe and hiss however as the damaged ribs rattled in his rib cage. He raised his saber high above his head as he witnessed the Sith vault towards him, like a cougar pouncing on his prey…

The saber lock was held until Ventress managed to get Sidious' attention again, Obi-Wan was thankful the Witch had intervened. He had felt his footing weakening under the strain and the evil Sith had angled his saber in such a way to cause the sparks to travel into Obi-Wan's face. Obi-Wan stood shakily to his feet and ducked under a decapitating blow only to then have to leap high above a sweeping arc, it was as if the Sith Lord's blade was everywhere at once. His movements were so fast and deadly that it was taking everything Obi-Wan had just to stay inches ahead of the crimson blade, it was becoming futile…

How could he have possibly thought he stood a chance against a Sith Lord? Sidious was going to kill him, even the force was now screaming for him to escape, the only way to survive the encounter. Obi-Wan was not going to run, he had committed to this action and fully intended on seeing it through no matter how dire the outcome was going to be.

His musings were interrupted as an awful scream ripped through the air, he mentally catalogued injuries just to make sure it was not _he_ who had screamed. His confusion was answered as two saber blades extinguished at once and Ventress fell to the floor, clutching a nasty looking saber wound to her leg.

Before Obi-Wan could take in anymore of the scene his entire attention was stolen by the dizzying speeds of Sidious' blade, the man now concentrating solely on Obi-Wan. The last man standing…

Slash right, block overhead blow, leap over swinging arc, block thrust whilst still in the air, land then duck, pivot to avoid savage swing, block overhead swing, leap sideways narrowly avoiding jab.

The moves repeated themselves over and over again as Obi-Wan was forced to remain on the defensive, forced to dance down another corridor deeper into the temple, forced to fight for his life time and time again as his enemies saber swings singed tunics and skin alike.

He hissed and yelled each time the crimson saber brushed too close for comfort, each time a new branding was left on his skin, Obi-Wan did not give up nor did he slow down. He knew he could not if he wanted to live, every move he made every step was screamed at him from deep within the force itself.

As he struggled further into the corrupted temple he heard the calls from the dark grow to new heights, serving to deafen him to any other sounds. He ignored it all and focussed only on the blurred crimson saber whose only goal was to end his life. In all his life Obi-Wan had only felt so helpless once before, when Qui-Gon… He slammed his eyes shut and relied purely on the force's guidance as images of his Master's impalement invaded his mind, he knew what the voices were doing they were trying to make him angry.

Obi-Wan shook off the memory and re-opened his eyes just in time to see a vicious slash he hadn't felt a warning for, he flipped his saber up to crash against the descending red death, almost dropping his own weapon as they impacted. Sidious did not pull back from the lock, he sneered at Obi-Wan's struggles. He was _playing_ with him.

"When I have slaughtered you I will destroy the Jedi Order for good!" The Sith gleefully proclaimed. "Not before I turn your Padawan of course…"

Obi-Wan looked right into his opponents eyes as the threat was made, he felt himself push back on the Sith's hold finding strength from somewhere. Sidious laughed as he thought of all the destruction he could cause with Anakin by his side, with all the pain he could cause…

Obi-Wan no longer saw Sidious when he looked into his opponent's face, he saw Vader. The sight made him furious! How callous the Sith lord was being made his temper rage and for the first time since entering the temple Obi-Wan did not strive to stop it, did not reject the voices tempting vengeance. The enemy standing before planned to rip away everything he had ever loved, was already responsible for Qui-Gon's death and had openly threatened to corrupt his Padawan. Obi-Wan could not forgive or forget those words, he couldn't.

As the figure before him still looked to be Vader's face twisted with hatred and soul corrupted by Sidious, Obi-Wan felt his muscles strengthen as he pushed back on the saber lock. With a pained outcry he pushed back so hard and so fast that Vader lost his footing and the facade faltered.

"You won't touch them!" Obi-Wan screamed with such passion and power the ancient structure shook.

Not one to miss an opportunity Obi-Wan capitalised on his opponent's shock and near tumble, viciously hacking away at every inch of the man he could aim at. It was the image of Sidious back in front of him albeit with a changed persona, Obi-Wan could _feel_ the panic and anxiety welling up inside of the Sith, he thrived on it. The hacks and slashes grew more powerful by the second, driving the trembling Sith Lord back as Obi-Wan now controlled the direction.

As they danced along the corridor at blazing speeds feet almost always off the ground as the pace impossibly increased further, Obi-Wan saw flashes of visions which only served to aid his power and speed. Images of war flashed through his mind, thousands of innocents slaughtered on so many worlds, burning civilisations and the bodies of children…

Obi-Wan could see their blood on his hands now as he gripped the saber tighter and strove to _end_ the monster who had caused all of it, _would_ cause all of it. He yelled out as he hacked away, seeing more and more of this man's victims. He almost managed to slice the Sith Lord's arm off as the vision of Siri's death echoed through his mind, her lifeless eyes staring up at him, her beautiful blond hair ruined by blood…

Sidious actually had a look of fear in his eyes as Obi-Wan continued to come close to slicing off his limbs, a look of alarm as Obi-Wan came incredibly close to hacking the man's head clean off… The fear only served to make Obi-Wan chuckle darkly and increase his strength, he fed off it.

The Sith Lord was forced to pivot over and again in an attempt to escape Obi-Wan's brutal murderous attack, Obi-Wan was not letting him get farther away than an arm's length however. He felt hot tears sting his eyes as Bant's mutilated body was recreated in front of him, his friend _murdered_.

Obi-Wan vaguely noted they were heading back towards the room he had last seen Dooku, he could still not feel the man however so deduced the Count to still be unconscious. Hundreds of visions invaded Obi-Wan's mind at once, almost blinding him and drowning him in sorrow. He saw more than he ever wanted to as Vader led the attack on the Jedi temple, slaughtering every single one of them including younglings. Obi-Wan choked down a sob as he realised the memories were affecting him so greatly, were unbalancing him so much that the darkness now felt right.

 _'Master, we're coming you just have to hold on okay?'_

He halted in his steps, previous attack stopping mid-swing as the tiny voice startled him. He would recognise that voice anywhere, it was Anakin. Even though it had been quiet Obi-Wan still heard every word, his Padawan had been able to break through the closed bond to deliver it just in time.

As he heard the voice the reasons for _why_ he was doing this became abundantly clear, the shocking knowledge that he had just acted on so much anger all without really knowing it or making the choice. He stood stunned as the revelation unfolded, he had almost crossed the point of no return, if it hadn't been for Anakin's intervention…

His thoughts stopped as Sidious' saber sailed towards his head, only narrowly missing him as the Sith Lord regained his offensive position. Sidious had noted his lack of concentration and more importantly his new vulnerability and had mercilessly capitalised on it, cackling at his new found-strength.

Obi-Wan felt his strength leave him as he forced his exhausted limbs to move just fast enough to stop loss of limb, mind still in turmoil over his disastrous actions and worse in remorse over the fact he would never see his Padawan again. That much was clear as he stared down the end of Sidious' blade with resources almost depleted, if it weren't for the force Obi-Wan would have dropped to the ground long before now. His energy was almost starved, his rag-doll body only being sustained by sheer will. Sidious could see it too.

"You're too _weak_ to use the dark side…" Sidious spat as he pressed his opponent further towards a dead end.

Obi-Wan laughed inwardly at the insult which wasn't really very insulting, he knew that weakness was to embrace the temptation. It took true strength to resist the allures especially when so emotionally involved, he had proven yet again he was not worthy and more importantly not _strong_ enough to defeat Sidious. He had known it from the start really, deep down he had.

Thinking of Anakin's last message made him feel such sorrow, the boy had faithfully followed his Master and still believed in the chances of rescuing him. The Padawan would likely be heart-broken when he found his Master dead, at least Obi-Wan knew the Jedi were on their way now. Hopefully some good could still come of this and Sidious would be stopped, even though Obi-Wan wouldn't live to see it.

Obi-Wan felt the wall's closing in as Sidious pressed him further and further into a corner, he wanted to ensure Obi-Wan had no room to manoeuvre. The gambit paid off sooner rather than later as Sidious saw his opening and force pushed Obi-Wan back to crumple against the ancient structure.

He cried out in agony as his body impacted strongly with the wall, saber extinguishing and slipping from his defeated hands. Obi-Wan moaned as he slid to the ground, blearily looking up into the evil eyes of his soon-to-be murderer. The knock to his head had him see more stars than evil Sith Lord's but it was not exactly difficult to make out the singular crimson light casting an eerie and relevant glow over the pair of them. Obi-Wan thought of Anakin and sent out an apology hoping the boy could hear it, hoping that his Padawan would not take his death too badly.

As Sidious cackled madly and lifted the Saber high overhead intending on drawing out the execution, Obi-Wan closed his eyes in resignation. He couldn't stand against destiny but the important thing was that he had tried.

 _'Do or do not…'_

The familiar mantra parroted in his mind as he realised there was _no try_. Obi-Wan went out with an ironic smile on his face, dark humour making one last appearance as he muttered his last phrase.

"I guess its do not…"

* * *

 **A/N - yes I know another cliffhanger I'm an evil person... but you'll all just to have to tune in next week for the next bits! The next chapter is already looking to be the longest one yet.**

 **Until next time...**


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N - Took a little longer than expected but here it is! Phew this one was a long one...**

 **Thank you all who reviewed or have simply been here to read this story, enjoy!**

* * *

Anakin was roughly jostled out of his resting state as he felt the familiar lurch of reversion, the stomach-flipping sensation bought on by their vessel falling out of hyperspace. The Jedi had arrived. Anakin didn't need to look out of the viewport to confirm their location as Moraband, he could already _feel_ the dark tendrils pressing on his mind corrupting all in their path. His hand flew subconsciously to where his saber used to hang, in an attempt to recenter himself with the aid of the pure crystal inside. When his hand only hit thin air Anakin remembered that his saber was gone, lost on the ship with Skepaf all those hours ago. The harrowing events of the past seemed like a life time ago now.

He stopped his racing thoughts before he ended up reminiscing over perilous events which he could no longer influence, before he plummeted into a feeling of melancholy. Instead he proceeded to dress into new tunics, his old ones bloodied, torn and singed from their latest adventure. Once ready for battle, minus a saber which he couldn't very well get a hold of without raising questions he was supposed to be resting after all, he headed over to the door and quietly slipped outside. Numerous Jedi rushed past him as the sense of urgency and anxiousness swirled in the force, they were all feeling the effects of the planet down below and were preparing for battle.

Anakin slipped past all of them, drawing as little attention to himself as possible just as Obi-Wan had once shown him. The task was made easier as all of the crew or Jedi he came across were heading in the opposite direction to he, Anakin was headed towards a rendezvous with Siri. The majority of the Jedi would disembark from the main vessel itself, Siri's plan was to take off in one of the smaller ship's docked alongside in an attempt to hide Anakin amongst a throng of first responders.

As he worked his way towards the presence he could now recognise as Siri Tachi's he felt the entire vessel slow in preparation, decreasing to a speed sufficient for planetary entry. The closer they crept the more the planet's expanding darkness clawed and crashed against his shields, desperately attempting to influence his mind and corrupt all within. Anakin was stronger than the darkness, the light was stronger.

He felt Qui-Gon nearby, ready to give guidance when the time was right, Anakin knew it would be soon now. He felt his anxiety's return over the task ahead, the impossibility of the whole thing. He had never heard of anything like this ever being performed but Qui-Gon believed it to be not only possible but also Obi-Wan's only chance. Anakin would do as he and Qui-Gon had practised he would give _all_ of himself and do his duty like any Jedi should.

As they crept closer voices spoke up to add to the battering from the dark, voices from dead Sith long passed into the force and forever trapped on this desolate world. As he saw other's pass by they didn't seem to be hearing what he was, didn't seem to be affected by the darkness as he was. Perhaps it was simply Anakin's inexperience and lack of shielding, something was telling him that it was more than that however. His connection to the force usually being a blessing was now a curse, his sensitivity and permeability to everything allowing the ghosts from the past access. As he neared Siri's position he quashed each and every one of them and he reached out for the grounding presence he so very much missed, his Master.

As he reached out along the still greyed out training bond Anakin prodded and pried at Obi-Wan, hoping he could break through to at least locate the Jedi. He managed a connection for a brief mili-second and staggered at the immense power he felt from Obi-Wan's end, it was mind-boggling. The one second was enough for him to sense Obi-Wan's location, just.

The planet below was steeped in so much darkness, poisoned with levels of unimaginable evil that it was hard for Anakin to keep track of his Master. Amongst all the suffering and corruption there was but one singular light left flickering, one minuscule slither of _good_ fighting ever so valiantly against the crushing darkness. The tiniest remnant of light continually battled against the encroaching end, against the waves of evil threatening to drown him forever, against fate itself.

Anakin reached Siri's side seconds before it happened, mere moments before the fate they had all fought so hard to stop crashed down, before Anakin even had the chance to hear his Master's voice again.

"Obi-Wan…" Anakin and Siri muttered in unison, shocked and grave faces meeting each other as they felt the light dim and finally succumb to the darkness, as they felt the man they both loved disappear from the force, as they felt Obi-Wan give in…

* * *

Qui-Gon searched around the familiar surroundings of the gardens, rushed past the raging waterfalls and trickling fountains in his quest to find Obi-Wan. He could feel his Padawan's presence in here, the young man appeared to be hiding. Qui-Gon rocketed towards his wayward apprentice sensing the urgency of the outside world pressing down on even this safe haven, knowing that they had little time before all could be lost.

He spotted Obi-Wan hunched over under one of the many blooming tree's, cradling his arm which still smoked from a painful looking saber wound. His Padawan looked beat, exhausted; worst he looked defeated. The sight stopped Qui-Gon in his tracks, in all his life he had never seen the dejected look of defeat grace Obi-Wan's features, he had _never_ seen him give up completely…

He approached the young man with haste as the sound of sabers clashing broke through into the room again, as the structure shook slightly under the strain. Sidious and Dooku were throwing everything they had at one another, over Obi-Wan's unconscious body. Qui-Gon thanked the force that Dooku had managed to throw Sidious away before the death blow fell, before the damage had become irreversible. As he locked eyes on Obi-Wan's back now though he truly feared that perhaps matters had become unalterable, that fate had made it's mind up. Qui-Gon would not see things end like this, _he couldn't._

"Padawan, what are you doing?" He made his presence aware before muttering the question kindly, not wanting to shock his already rattled apprentice.

Obi-Wan didn't even blink in acknowledgment at the query, didn't turn to face the newcomer he only continued to stare resolutely down at the ground. It terrified Qui-Gon how much fire had been dowsed in the passionate man he knew, brought him grief over the loss of life he was witnessing. Obi-Wan had been beaten in every sense of the word, he needed a wake up call. _Pronto_.

"It's over, Master." When Obi-Wan finally spoke it wasn't much above a whisper, voice void of all emotion as he seemingly accepted his fate. "I wasn't strong enough…"

Qui-Gon dropped down to Obi-Wan's level and gripped his shoulders hard, choking back a sob over the desolate picture before him, willing the stubborn boy he loved to come back to him. Qui-Gon would do anything to see that radiant smile just once more, to hear the rich laughter or even Obi-Wan's dark humour or sarcasm, anything to know that there was still hope.

"Obi-Wan, you must not give up," Qui-Gon implored trying to force his disconsolate apprentice to meet his gaze. "Anakin needs you, they all do."

The statement had some effect even if it wasn't quite the desired one. Obi-Wan's head shot up angrily as his crystal blue eyes sparkled with barely contained rage over the guilt trip, not appreciating Qui-Gon's dirty tactics in the slightest.

"What am I supposed to do?!" He yelled incredulously at Qui-Gon, shoving off the supporting hand hold and leaping to his feet.

Qui-Gon almost fell backward as he heard the over-zealous exclamation aimed at him, _felt_ the fire and passion behind the words. Perhaps all was not lost if he could channel Obi-Wan's emotions in the right direction, if he showed him what he should be fighting for.

Obi-Wan's gaze softened as he saw the effect of his words, as he witnessed the hurt flash across his Master's face. He dropped his head again in regret and proceeded to kick at the ground, perhaps taking his anger at the situation out on it or reasonably just keeping his mind occupied to avoid a disastrous fall into hopelessness again.

"I'm just one Knight…"

They both looked around as the sounds of the duel outside grew louder, as the cackle of Sidious corrupted this once sacred world. Images of the outside seeped through as their shared world succumbed to the sheer power in the dark temple, the structure of the room even started to shake and crumble as Dooku and Sidious kept up their hate filled duel.

Qui-Gon sighed as he moved to join Obi-Wan, thankful that the young man didn't shrug his arm off as he pulled his old Padawan into a sideways hug. Why could Obi-Wan never see himself as he was? Why did the young man always demean his skills, always too humble over his abilities and capability. Here was a Jedi who could accomplish _everything_ and yet he was still blind to it.

"You are far more than that, Obi-Wan, and you know it."

He patted his Padawan's back as he felt the tremors racing through the young man's body, Obi-Wan had been pushed to the limit that much was sure, perhaps over it. Qui-Gon obliterated the thought as counter-productive, he had one goal in mind right now and that was to get Obi-Wan through this ordeal alive.

"Do you really mean that?" Obi-Wan turned and looked at his old Mentor, clearly struggling to hold back the torrent on his ruined emotions.

As Qui-Gon stared down at Obi-Wan he no longer saw an adult, he saw his Padawan as an insecure 13 year old boy who only ever wanted to do _right_ by his Master and teachings. He never told Obi-Wan how much he had achieved after the debacle with Xanatos, he had wrongly assumed that Obi-Wan and his previous apprentice were alike and praise would only lead to the dark side. Obi-Wad had of course dealt with his insecurities and remained humble throughout, it was clear to Qui-Gon now though that scars did remain.

"Of course I do. You are stronger than this, Padawan, you always have been."

Qui-Gon gripped Obi-Wan's shoulders as he stared into the young man's confused eyes, he watched as his old apprentice seemed to struggle with the desire to continue fighting and the weighing truth that he simply could not do this alone. Qui-Gon just had to show Obi-Wan he _wasn't_ alone.

"I'm sorry, Master, but he's too strong, he is far more powerful than anything I have ever faced. I cannot do this alone."

There the words that Qui-Gon was waiting to hear, now he could show his Padawan just how wrong he was. Obi-Wan would not be alone.

"You will never be alone, Obi-Wan, _never._ " He projected the image of Siri and Anakin flying towards the planet, the image of hundreds of Jedi baring down on his position, his family were coming for him.

Obi-Wan looked hopeful, that was until the blazing sounds of sabers and crashing grew louder, as the distant edges of the room collapsed in tremendous crashes to add to the destructive noise. They both knew time was almost up.

"They won't make it in time, I can feel it."

Qui-Gon too felt the truth of Obi-Wan's words in the force, the horrifying truth that his Padawan was supposed to be a casualty of this war. He defied it. Rigorously shaking his head Qui-Gon let it be known to the force and to Obi-Wan that he would not accept such an outcome, not after everything. He could not see Obi-Wan perish when there was so much to live for, not when his death could lead to so much more suffering. Not just for him but for Anakin, who knew how the boy would react if he lost his Master?

"Damn what you can feel, Padawan, I'm telling you you're going to stop Sidious." Obi-Wan's shock over the words was oddly comic, never had Qui-Gon told him to ignore his feelings. "I've changed fate once, don't think I won't do it again."

Obi-Wan shook his head in denial, in pure _shock_ over his Master's dangerous words. Attachments were so perilous for this very reason, when one person refused to let go innocents would suffer. Qui-Gon of course saw this as a necessary action, knowing or more accurately presuming that Obi-Wan's death would cause more suffering than good.

"You can't keep playing with the universe, Master!" Obi-Wan raged as he paced, ignoring the growing destruction of the once peaceful surroundings. "The consequences could be catastrophic."

Qui-Gon didn't flinch at the raised tone, already knowing what his response would be and with the full knowledge that the answer would drive his Padawan crazy.

"I will do what I must, Obi-Wan, and that means keeping you alive."

For a moment it looked as though Obi-Wan was going to explode and lash out at the statement, the fight had left him weary though so he instead resigned to the fact that Qui-Gon's mind would not be changed. He had never once been able to come between Qui-Gon and what he _must_ do, he would have no chance now. His Padawan held his head in his hands in an effort to calm his turbulent emotions, not knowing honestly whether to laugh or cry over Qui-Gon's promise.

Before either of them could initiate a debate the image's from the outside world bled through again, the deadly battle occurring in extremely close proximity to Obi-Wan's body. Obi-Wan watched as Sidious successfully drove the Count back, gaining strength with every near hit. The Sith seemed unstoppable. The ground shook beneath their feet as the shockwaves served to crack more of the room's foundations, rubble fell in a larger quantity now as their shared sanctuary collapsed under the pressure of the outside world. Qui-Gon knew it was time, time for Obi-Wan to go back.

"Obi-Wan, do you trust me?"

A heartbeat, no longer.

"Yes."

Qui-Gon smiled at the swiftness of the answer, the firmness and the resulting afterthought. His Padawan always would.

The images bleeding through grew clearer, the battling sounds serving to drown out the rivers entirely. The room was collapsing faster than ever before, the path which Qui-Gon had raced along earlier completely buried under ruin now. Qui-Gon watched as Obi-Wan prepared himself to re-enter reality, as he prepared himself for the cruelty of Sidious. There was still doubt so Qui-Gon gave Obi-Wan one last hope, a hope which the force warned him was reckless and dangerous. Qui-Gon for once in his life ignored the warnings, the chosen one was not _chosen_ for nothing.

"Padawan, you can do this. Reopen the bond with Anakin, let him in he is destined to help." Qui-Gon couldn't be more specific if he wanted to be, Obi-Wan would only be skeptical and they didn't have the time for it. He would have to fall back on their trust.

Obi-Wan's crinkled brows did not disappoint, he wanted to ask every question of Qui-Gon under the sun perhaps starting with one pertaining his sanity. Qui-Gon silenced each and every one of the queries with one look as he conveyed there was no time for it, reminding his Padawan with another burning look to _trust_ his word.

Obi-Wan nodded in acknowledgement although not understanding what Qui-Gon was planning but knowing that the details did not matter, he trusted the man with his life. He committed to re-enter the real world with at least an open mind, with anew conviction and knowledge that Anakin was almost here. If he had to succeed for anyone it would be for his loyal Padawan, a boy who should not have to go through the agony of losing a Master at such a young age.

Qui-Gon narrowly avoided a plummeting support beam as the room started to fade away, as Obi-Wan started to _wake_ up.

"Remember what you're fighting for," He reminded his Padawan, projecting a single image. The memories of he, Siri, Anakin and the Jedi all merging into one.

Obi-Wan's eyes glistened with tears as he prepared himself for the battle of his life, as he drew on the force to strengthen his hurting limbs just to hold out a little longer. He could do it for the ones he loved, he _had_ to. The room of a thousand fountains turned to dust as he left for the final time, just uttering a final promise to Qui-Gon before the man too disappeared.

"Always."

* * *

Obi-Wan's eyes shot open as he felt cold stone beneath his back, felt the pressing darkness on his mind once more and heard the loud manic laugh from Sidious as the Sith Lord pressed Count Dooku back further. Obi-Wan didn't waste a single second, he ruthlessly quashed each and every dark presence invading his mind and re-opened his bond with Anakin, _trusting_ Qui-Gon that this was the right thing to do. He would never forgive himself or his Master if Anakin ended up feeling his pain or his execution, it was the reason he had blocked the boy out in the first place.

As soon as he opened his mind Obi-Wan was thankful that he had not already risen, if he had he was sure the shockwave slamming into him would have floored him all the same. His heart-rate rocketed as he kept the connection open and felt _so much_ light that it blinded everything in the room. Nothing else mattered.

'What is this?' Obi-Wan muttered to himself, confused beyond belief at what he was experiencing.

In all his years as a Jedi he had never felt anything like what he was currently experiencing, he didn't even know how to _truly_ describe it to even know if anything like this had been recorded before. As he opened his mind up to Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan felt as though he never had before. To try and put the experience into words it was like…, well it was like he _was_ the force.

He didn't just feel empowered by the force's currents, he felt as if there were no reason to feel distractions from the real world anymore. The darkness and Sith now looked trivial from his point of view, simply corporeal beings and feelings which had a weakness he could no longer feel, gross matter. He felt as though he were now simply a conduit for the force, a vessel where he and Anakin's force presence's lived. He too recognised Qui-Gon's signature and realised this was what his Master had been referring to, well whatever this was.

Obi-Wan stood tall as he allowed the force to flow through him like never before, to renew his abused muscles and obliterate any aches and wounds. His saber flew into his outstretched hand before he even knew what he was doing, every move was predetermined and completely subconscious, the force was acting through him _literally._

As he looked over his surroundings he couldn't shake the feeling that this was what it was to look at the world anew, truly for the first time. Every second he could picture every decision from every action what _could_ have been, what _must_ not be and what _would_ be.

He gazed upon the two Sith duelling and saw clearly for the first time each move and counter-strike. The entire scene slowed as he saw the next assault each man would make before they knew it themselves, he too saw clearly the force surrounding each fighter, black clouds angrily swirling. The fighting seemed rather trivial from this point of view, from the force's point of view.

Obi-Wan saw Dooku's downfall before Sidious even attacked, he absently observed the man flying backwards and writhing under a powerful lightning assault, an attack filled with so much malice that the force surrounding Palpatine actually grew with the hatred. Obi-Wan could see it all now, as clearly as he could see through Sidious. Beneath all that hatred and hunger for power was simply a man with a weakness, the frailty of flesh.

He stepped forward into Sidious' eye-line effectively stopping the brutal attack on Dooku, Obi-Wan absently heard the Count's gasps as the shock set in.

"I thought you were _dead_ already." The old man sneered.

Obi-Wan let the words wash over him as he clipped his saber to his belt, already knowing exactly what the Sith Lord intended to do and seeing clearly how he could be stopped. The Sith snarled at the lack of response before using his arms to send a vigorous force shove towards Obi-Wan, dark energies snapping as they drew closer.

Obi-Wan marvelled as he _saw_ the force head his way, he held up one hand and swiped the darkness away not even breaking a sweat over the action. It had been as simple as swatting away a pesky fly. Sidious' rage bubbled and spilled over as his attack was pushed aside, clearly he had never experienced anyone who matched him in the force's ways. Obi-Wan was not just anyone at this moment though, he was himself, Anakin, Qui-Gon. He was the _force_. He had never felt so pure in his life, so _right._

Sidious' fury stained his next attack as he threw force lightning in Obi-Wan's direction. Obi-Wan could see each and every fork of energy heading towards him in slow-motion as he once again lifted a hand and pushed the assault aside. Not even a spark touched his skin as he left his hand in place to continue the defence. His legs moved for him as he stepped towards the shocked Sith Lord, closing the distance and absorbing the deadly energy before any harm could be caused.

"No," he simply said as the Sith's reserves finally depleted and the walls no longer lit up with blue flashes.

Sidious' reaction was blazing and swift, crimson resonated into the darkness as the Sith gave into his urgings and leapt towards his prey, saber raised high intent on ending his enemy's life once and for all. Usually the force would scream out a warning to avoid destruction, _duck left, pivot right._ Now though there was not the usual delay between Obi-Wan hearing a command and actually acting it out, now his limbs moved of their own accord _before_ the force even had the chance to warn. It was almost as if he were looking down upon himself or some kind of outer body experience as the combined force presence's duelled with his body, like a puppet on strings.

As the sabers clashed time and time again Obi-Wan's azure weapon gained speed and ferocity at a much faster rate than Sidious', the result of his perfect movements soon had the man in question on the back foot in their deadly altercation and more importantly _worried._

"You're just as _weak_ as every Jedi…" The Sith Lord snarled in an attempt to cover up his anxiety.

Obi-Wan found himself smiling at the attempted cover-up, revelling in the fact that Palpatine was ruffled and his saber play was deteriorating due to that fact. He continually picked up the speed of his saber, or from another point of view the force did. Obi-Wan could no longer feel the agony of his injuries or exhaustion from overtaxed muscles, with the development all of those details were now inconsequential. It was at this moment in the midst of battle feeling _brighter_ than he ever had in his life that Obi-Wan truly understood the old saying - _'We are luminous beings, not this gross matter.'_

The faults of the body were not slowing or stopping him and he knew they would not until the darkness had been purged, he could _feel_ it. From the growing look of trepidation on the Sith Lord's face so could _he._

From the connection in his mind Obi-Wan could sense that Anakin was getting closer by the second, his heart elated when he felt Siri nearing also. She would keep Anakin safe, he trusted her implicitly. As he sensed outwards through the suffering darkness he felt a hundred bright lights, all heading towards hell to obliterate the darkness, the Jedi.

Obi-Wan instigated the next saber block knowing his next words would serve to be the Sith Lord's undoing, they would serve to topple him over the abyss of anger. He leaned in towards the visibly shaking Sith Lord to speak pressing down his advantage on the weakening man, unflinching from the pure _hatred_ he saw in the Chancellor's eyes.

"You can sense them coming too."

It was not a question, more of a confirmation. A fact not an opinion.

Palpatine gritted his teeth as the strain of holding back Obi-Wan started to show, his muscles trembled against the never-ending strength of the light.

"It will not matter, you will be _dead_ long before they arrive," Palpatine spat in his most loathsome tone which did not serve to fool either of them. They both knew how this dance would end and it would be sooner rather than later.

"I will not allow you to spread hatred and fear across this galaxy," Obi-Wan solemnly promised the snarling Sith.

Obi-Wan broke the saber lock and leapt into his familiar form of Ataru, spinning and bounding around the faltering from of Sidious, always staying several steps ahead. Obi-Wan saw his chance as one of the Sith Lord's strikes hit thin air and the elder man was too exhausted to readjust his blade defensively, Obi-Wan saw exactly how he could end this before his mind could even think through it. He simply acted.

Angling his saber down to block the Sith Lord's from striking upwards he grabbed a hold of Sidious' arms and pivoted his own saber upwards quicker than he could blink, taking off the panicked man's hands in the process. The haunted scream that followed was inhumane and served to bring Obi-Wan partly out of his force-induced haze, he started to feel the strength flee from his limbs now that the main danger had passed. Sidious sank to his knees as his saber hilt rolled away into the darkness, deactivated and defeated.

Obi-Wan breathed in heavily as his over-taxed body cried out for oxygen, it was all very well being a luminous being until the fatalities of the flesh caught up with you afterwards. Absently as he held his saber to the enemy's throat he came to the realisation that he had, or rather the force had, triumphed over the most dangerous threat to the galaxy, had defied fate itself. It was a rather dizzying feeling which he started to feel the effects of more rapidly as he felt Anakin and Qui-Gon retreat from his mind. Now everything _hurt._

He could sense Ventress nearby and could feel her shock at the sight, a Sith Lord at his mercy. Her shock was trumped entirely by Dooku's however who was still presently grounded and wheezing, the last force attack used upon him having taken it's toll. Obi-Wan ignored them both as he simply enjoyed the moment, savoured the knowledge that this man would _never_ get his hands on Anakin.

Sidious' burning eyes bore into his filled with such loathing and contempt that it was staggering, it didn't shock Obi-Wan in the slightest he had just cut the man's hands off after all! Instead of insults or death threats the Chancellor's next words threw Obi-Wan off guard, he spoke of an ill-assumed victory.

"Even though you have defeated me I have still prevailed _false_ Jedi…" The words were spat like the vilest curse Obi-Wan could think of. "You have given into the darkness and are as corrupted as I am, no Jedi could be that strong without destroying themselves completely."

The rest of the monologue was delivered with an evil grin which spread as the Sith Lord thought his words true, he could not have been further from the truth if he tried.

"You're wrong."

The rebuttal only served to make the Sith Lord cackle madly, believing in his pain-addled mind that Obi-Wan was simply in denial. In truth it was the Sith Lord that was in denial. Obi-Wan could still feel the remnants of the _pure_ force clinging to him so surely Sidious could also.

"Anger, hatred, lust. You believe these emotions give you power, in fact they only serve to imprison you." Obi-Wan crouched down beside the Sith Lord and spoke directly to him, no longer fearful over the very thing he had conquered. "You are imprisoned by the dark side, a slave to it's every whim and your own emotions, a puppet of evil and lost forever in the darkness."

Sidious glared directly at Obi-Wan as he spoke, barely showing outwardly how rattling the words were to him. Everyone in the room could sense the _truth_ behind Obi-Wan's words however, of how much he believed in them.

"Whilst you believe that fear and hatred give you power the truth is they will never last, they seek to drain you. Love and compassion give us long-lasting strength and more importantly a _reason_ to carry on."

As Obi-Wan finished he could feel how much the thoughts had affected the Sith Lord, of course outwardly Sidious did not give away a thing, the loathing mask was in place and Sidious was once again ignorant to his imprisonment. The Sith was far too prideful to show any weakness or even be seen to contemplate any view over than his own.

"You've also given yourself to the darkness, Kenobi, I can _feel_ it. I sensed the great power you wielded, that can only come from one place."

Obi-Wan shook his head whilst chuckling softly realising this agent of evil would never understand what he had just experienced, would never believe how _right_ the light side was. He was too far gone.

"I am and always have been a Jedi serving the light." He heard Ventress gasp at his open confession and felt Anakin's pride in abundance through their bond. "The darkness will _never_ extinguish _hope,_ the light."

Obi-Wan stepped back from the Sith Lord always keeping his saber blade ready for any dirty tactics the elder man would deploy, the look of disgust he received over his speech spoke volumes. Sidious would never believe the truth, the dark already having consumed his soul.

Obi-Wan felt the moment the first Jedi hit the surface of Moraband just as his companions did, Sidious look of disgust morphed into genuine fear so he attempted to push on with his own execution.

"Do it then, or do you not have the stomach for it?"

The mocking query crashed against Obi-Wan and washed straight over, the man's words did not affect him as they used to. As easy as it would be to kill this evil man, as much as it would ensure the galaxies safety, Obi-Wan knew it was not _right_.

He lowered his blade, mind made up before the question was ever really asked. As he felt the last borrowed strength leave his body and the heavy burden screaming from his damaged limbs he _knew_ his choice was approved.

"Jedi do not kill unarmed prisoners."

The loathing look was back as Sidious realised he would not meet a quick end this way or in fact plant the seeds of darkness within Obi-Wan as a parting gift. Before Obi-Wan could even entertain his next move he found himself sprawled flat on his back meters away, just managing to hold onto his saber as he impacted none too softly with the floor. He gasped as the jolt wracked his frame before moving to jump upwards, knowing he had no defence sprawled on his back.

"No but I will."

His mind absently registered the voice of Ventress as she flew seemingly from the shadows towards the kneeling form of Sidious, duel crimson saber's ablaze. Before Obi-Wan even had the chance to rise again Ventress had reached the Sith Lord's position and swung her blade's in a wide arc. Obi-Wan felt a wave of nausea hit as he found his shaky footing. Sidious' separated head rolled towards his feet his eyes forever set in a state of shock, still burning _yellow._

Obi-Wan's stomach rebelled at the sight but he swallowed down the impulse to heave at the merciless act, he had a new threat to deal with and that would have to come before acceptance. Except Ventress had other ideas, puzzlingly she only shot him a dazzling smile before darting out of the room. If Obi-Wan weren't in shock over the new developments he may have been quick enough to chase after her, although he highly doubted it with exhaustion setting in. Ventress had chosen survival over vengeance, no doubt she knew the Jedi were close and she was smart enough to know she could not defeat them all. That only left…

"You!"

…Dooku…

The guttural outraged shriek was accompanied by a wave of power so vicious that Obi-Wan felt his feet leave the ground for the second time in a few moments. As he smashed into the floor and groaned in pain this time his grip could not keep a hold of the saber, hilt going flying as he tumbled backwards under the sustained force attack. After rolling for what felt like hours on end the attack finally ceased and Obi-Wan was finally able to breathe air into his starved emptied lungs. His vision remained dizzied so when Obi-Wan attempted to identify where Dooku was he ended up seeing multiple copies of the Sith Lord, all of them adorned the same loathsome scowl however, the same murderous feelings burning from his gaze. Dooku was fuming.

Obi-Wan winced and groaned as he attempted to extract his arm from beneath his chest, it was of no use he was grounded, perhaps for good. He could feel an overwhelming pressure pressing down on his entire body and his addled brain cottoned onto the fact that Dooku was exerting his own will on Obi-Wan's back, he could only manage to lift his head and blearily look at the raging Sith Lord. He didn't even know where his saber was let alone move his hands or arms to reach the blasted thing, he was at the complete mercy of a betrayed Sith.

"Oh not good…" Obi-Wan groaned as he registered Dooku's crimson saber activate and locked eyes with the blazing hatred of the Count's.

Obi-Wan didn't have the strength to rise against Dooku's hold, after everything that had been accomplished even with Anakin and help so close this would be the end of him. The force offered no out's, no last resort to avoid the vengeful ex-Jedi standing above his defeated body. Obi-Wan shielded as much of his bond with Anakin as he noted the evil glint in Dooku's eye, the man would not make his death swift. Dooku fully intended to exact his revenge on Obi-Wan by making him suffer, he was projecting that fact and the upcoming images quite clearly.

Obi-Wan prepared himself as well as he could for what was to come, mentally and physically. Only when he thought all was lost did he truly find out how serious Qui-Gon had been with his earlier promise, it turned out his Master _would_ do what he must and for once Obi-Wan didn't mind at all.

The force ghost of Qui-Gon appeared between Obi-Wan and Dooku, contempt showing clearly in his posture for the man which wanted nothing more than to separate Obi-Wan's head from his shoulders. Obi-Wan gasped in shock along with Dooku who visibly flinched and faltered at the physical sight of his former Padawan, Qui-Gon took up a sentry position standing protectively over his fallen Padawan with an unusual fire in his eyes aimed at Dooku who had caused all of this destruction and his apprentice so much agony.

It was definitely a strange sight seeing Qui-Gon appear like _this_ in the real world, the Jedi Master looked just as imposing as he used to when he was alive and was now surrounded by a blue glow. Obi-Wan could feel the tension rising in the room, there were now 3 very emotional and high strung beings crowded here all with the capability to cause the other's misery or in Dooku's case the disappointment of missing a chance for revenge.

Obi-Wan felt the force hold on him lessen in strength as Dooku's state of shock impeded the action, enough for him to actually have control of his arms again. It didn't do much good as he slumped back to the ground again and cried out as his abused limbs gave away on an attempted ascension, Dooku hadn't seemed to notice. His stunned face had gone white, ashen. Murderous fire in his eyes being doused to some effect by the arrival of the only person who still had a place in his heart, his last link to the light.

"Get out of my way, Qui," Dooku warned in a strained tone, light saber still held in a threatening manner pointing in Obi-Wan's direction.

Qui-Gon took another step forward barely able to contain his emotions over his former Master's actions, he would _not_ allow Dooku to hurt Obi-Wan any longer.

"Stop this!" He tried to break through to the rational, logical thinking part of Dooku that still prevailed. "You've got what you wanted, Sidious is dead."

Dooku's temper flared dangerously at the order to stand down, he had evidently had enough of being given commands. Obi-Wan meekly lifted his head attempting to find the strength to rise and offer some sort of defence, rescue was so close now. Anakin was so close. He could sense his Padawan on planet now but still ensured the boy could not link with his mind, if this went Dooku's way then there was no way Obi-Wan would subject Anakin to such agony.

 _'Obi-Wan, you need to get up, I don't know if I can talk him down.'_

The anxiety in Qui-Gon's voice was palpable, the words reverberated around Obi-Wan's mind as he understood what his Master was telling him. Get up or die. He reached out with what little strength he had left to wrap as much of the force around him as he could and strained harder against the weakening force hold still forcing him to face the floor. If Qui-Gon was ruffled, worried then things were certainly about to turn sour. Qui-Gon knew Dooku better than anyone.

"He deceived me!" Dooku spat with contempt, grip tightening around his saber, teeth baring. "He played me for a fool, I can never forgive that…"

Qui-Gon's shift in body stature and pained expression spoke volumes, Dooku had made up his mind and resolutely chosen to carry out his original plan, not caring that Obi-Wan was in his lineage too blinded by vengeance and hatred to care. Obi-Wan fought back with anew strength as he realised as Qui-Gon had said that he would not be able to stop Dooku's wrath, maybe nobody could. He broke free of the hold finally and started to pick himself up from the floor gently, seeking his saber at his Master's next shaky words in his mind.

 _'Obi-Wan, hurry, I cannot keep him distracted much longer.'_

They both knew how perilous the situation was.

"Master, please don't do this," Qui-Gon pleaded one last time with his old Master, wishing that there was still some _good_ left inside of him to appeal to but knowing deep down that the gesture was futile.

"Let him live…"

Dooku smiled dangerously at the pleading a familiar glint in his eye which Qui-Gon recognised from his teaching days, Dooku had always warned against sentiment and Qui-Gon's over-compassionate nature. He always looked at his Padawan that way before delivering a warning over the pitfalls of trust, explaining that everyone would betray you eventually. Qui-Gon knew immediately his revenge on Obi-Wan would be merciless, the ultimate betrayal of somebody his Master had uncharacteristically let into his life. The man always has and always would be haunted by the betrayal from his childhood friend Lorian Nod, Obi-Wan's actions were stirring up old wounds and feelings only serving to add fuel to the ever growing fire.

"You know I cannot do that, not even for you, Qui-Gon."

The murderous glee was back in the Count's eyes as he envisioned once again how sweet it would be to exact his revenge on Obi-Wan, the Sith Lord readied his stance into an offensive position which was not lost on either Obi-Wan or Qui-Gon. The urgings in Obi-Wan's mind grew louder and more insistent as Qui-Gon accepted the worst, Dooku was lost to the dark forever. The tiniest slither of him that remained redeemable obliterated by Obi-Wan's betrayal, something far in excess of what Dooku could forgive.

Obi-Wan reached out subtly with his hand to summon his saber, breathing in the pureness of the weapon as it sailed directly into his grip. He would not go down without a fight, not after everything. He was a Jedi.

"You know what your problem always was, Padawan?" Dooku stepped further forward, saber switching to his more dominant hand in the process. "Sentimentality…"

Dooku aggressively slashed through the ghost of Qui-Gon, effectively slicing his former Padawan in half and succeeding in destroying the image. Wisps of blue mist dissipated as Dooku's crimson saber destroyed the harmony and continued onwards, towards Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan sprang upwards and moved his saber into a defensive position, drawing on all pent up energy he had managed to connect with. Dooku's strike connected with Obi-Wan's saber causing the both of them to stumble, their previous activities had clearly had major ramifications for both of them. Obi-Wan knew his only chance would be to draw out the fight until help arrived, if he could even do that. Now with Dooku pressing against him, mouth pressed into a thin line of contempt and growling he honestly didn't know if his last reserves would be able to come between the Sith and his vengeance. If Sidious had seemed angry earlier then Dooku had taken things to a whole new level, Obi-Wan had never thought it _possible_ to loathe one person so.

When he attempted to reach out to Qui-Gon he felt nothing, no encouraging words or even any feelings. Dooku must have shattered the connection when he slashed straight through Qui-Gon's ghost. The thought of the image still sent shivers down Obi-Wan's spine, even though he knew his Master was already dead it still rattled him to see the man struck down so coldly again.

With teeth gritted in strain Obi-Wan pressed further into Dooku only to be forced to jump backwards from an unexpected saber swing, the Count had pulled back and quick as a flash instigated a new attack. It always amazed Obi-Wan how _fast_ Dooku could move, one minute his saber was in one place then the next it was the other side of Obi-Wan's body.

Obi-Wan was forced to pivot and leap out of the way of the crimson blade as it rained down from all sides and angles seemingly at once, deadly intent on finding it's target to cause maximum agony. Obi-Wan winced and hissed as Dooku's saber brushed against his skin when he was too slow, held there long enough to burn and sear the skin. The smell of cauterised flesh was already in the air so his new injuries did not do much to add to the nauseating stench. The new wounds were never deep enough to force Obi-Wan to drop the hold on his saber, they slowed him down however. He got the funny feeling that Dooku was _playing_ with his prey.

Dooku smiled enigmatically at the sight of Obi-Wan slowing and weakening and sure enough he saw his opportunity when Obi-Wan left his left side open for a second longer than intended, that was all the Sith Lord needed. Obi-Wan's eyes went wide as he spied force lightning crackling towards him at a rocketing speed, with the angle his saber was at he didn't manage to put it between him and the deadly attack. The forceful lightning hit the weapon at such an angle that it was forced out of Obi-Wan's hands to go flying, he distantly heard the weapon impact a few short meters away not that it would do any good now. Without real thought Obi-Wan instinctively threw his hands in front of him, not believing for one second that the futile action would save him.

To both his and Dooku's utter astonishment the lightning went no further than his palms, other than a tingly feeling traversing his arms Obi-Wan remained unharmed under the assault. It was like he was _absorbing_ the energy. He looked up into Dooku's eyes and saw the awe reflected in the ex-Jedi's eyes, this was not what either of them had expected. Obi-Wan felt his strength deplete rapidly and soon whatever he had managed to accomplish started to fail him.

As Dooku pressed onwards with his attack throwing all of his hatred and contempt for Obi-Wan into the brutal strike, an energy convergence of sorts was created between them. Visually it was stunning to see, the lightening impacted with Obi-Wan's defence to cackle and spit in larger circles. Eventually Obi-Wan's strength waned to the point that he felt the lightning singeing his hands and arms, felt the electricity start to reach it's target albeit slowly. As soon as the lightning reached past his defence it fell, he watched as if in slow motion as the lightning bounded towards his unprotected chest whilst dreading the misery which would follow.

As the dark energy hit Obi-Wan fell backwards under the explosive nature of the attack, his mind going blank as white hot agony raced through and over his entire body. _Everything burned._ Obi-Wan writhed on the floor under the vengeful attack, pain-wracked brain unable to conjure up any thoughts and only being able to register hearing a wild cackle. Dooku was certainly enjoying witnessing Obi-Wan in such agony, at his _mercy_ , cowering at his _feet_.

"This is the true power of the dark side, Obi-Wan, and you will feel all of it!"

Obi-Wan screamed as the attack continued, he had never felt such agony racing through all of his nerves at once. There was no where he could go to escape the misery, nothing to reach out to in an attempt to numb or divert the pain. Only white hot torment.

It could have been hours in Obi-Wan's mind, the sustained attack played havoc with all of his normal and rational thought processes. Eventually, finally Dooku stopped. Obi-Wan spasmed involuntarily as the electricity still clung to his nerves, to his muscles. He heard himself moaning and felt himself shaking with tremors, Dooku's brutal attack had made Obi-Wan lose what little control he had left of the force. His mind was all over the place. As he wheezed and attempted to control his shaky breathing he did however _feel_ the light growing closer, the blinding lights of the Jedi were inside the temple. From Dooku's snort of disgust it seemed the elder man had felt them too, which would probably explain his slight distraction come to think of it.

"You can feel them can't you? They're getting closer, you're not getting out of here." Obi-Wan was shocked to hear how broken and shaky his voice sounded, it was no wonder Dooku didn't flinch at the words. He only smiled before crouching down to taunt his beaten opponent.

"It won't be enough to save you, Kenobi, your apprentice will see your cold corpse as he enters." He grinned as Obi-Wan flinched over the mention of Anakin, who knew what seeing this nightmare would do to the boy?

"You're weak, Kenobi," Dooku drawled as he rose up to stand tall over Obi-Wan's still grounded body. "After I kill you I will kill your Padawan too, not before I make him beg for his life."

The threat against Anakin had Obi-Wan's undivided attention in a heartbeat, Dooku could threaten his own life all he wanted but Obi-Wan would not allow Anakin to be a casualty of this war, he _couldn't_ bear it. He snarled at the cocky man before him and shoved out with all his strength whilst bringing his aching legs round in a sweeping arc. Dooku had been far too cocky, believing that Obi-Wan was out for the count and underestimating yet again the strength of compassion, of _love._

"You won't touch him!"

Dooku hit the floor hard as Obi-Wan rolled towards his fallen saber, not even having the force reserves to summon the weapon any longer. He was almost spent but Dooku had sparked something deep within him with those words, a wild protective streak which Obi-Wan would fight for until his very last breath no matter when that would be.

By the time Obi-Wan had retrieved his saber and spun Dooku had already recollected himself and was sailing towards his prey with the intent on killing the meddlesome Knight once and for all, if Dooku had not been so arrogant then he would not have been so blind to the effects of his words. The flooring had only served to empower Dooku even if it were only in the short term, the power sparking from ex-Jedi sizzled as he roared towards Obi-Wan rather like a raging storm.

"I would be doing the galaxy a favour!" The Sith Lord raged as he aggressively acted out on his opponent.

Obi-Wan ignored the words as he focused all of his remaining _will_ into the goal of survival. Any spark of Obi-Wan's strength was soon extinguished as he realised he did not have the skill or stamina at present to go on the offensive with Dooku, every time he tried to find an opening or strike back Dooku would only cut off the opportunity and force him further backwards into the temple, away from the Jedi.

"After I kill you and your little _brat_ I am going to rid this galaxy of the force forsaken Jedi!" Dooku promised menacingly as he danced forwards with a vengeance.

Obi-Wan could feel them in abundance now and more importantly he could sense Anakin approaching, the boy had probably disobeyed orders to run ahead. Obi-Wan would have lectured and teased him for hours over the break in protocol, the thought saddened him as he realised there was so _much_ he still could have taught Anakin. So many adventures and mysteries they would have unravelled. All of that time was to be stolen by the Sith after all, the same evil just with a different face.

Obi-Wan saw the moment he made his mistake and watched absently as Dooku's smirk grew wider with the knowledge, the latest saber block had pushed Obi-Wan in an awkward position and in his attempt to push back he had allowed Dooku a dangerous angle that the man would now capitalise on. The crimson saber angled to sear a deep wound into his prominent saber arm forcing a cry to escape his lips, his saber to drop and extinguish and Dooku to finish off the act by cutting even deeper into his left thigh simultaneously.

Obi-Wan dropped to the ground in an unceremonious heap yelping on the impact, the saber wound in his thigh had cut through muscle and bone and it was agonising. He gripped the wounds with his other limbs and squeezed his eyes shut drawing on any lightness he could touch to deal with the worst of the pain, it did not do much.

He opened his eyes to witness Dooku smirk triumphantly down on him, he had picked up Obi-Wan's saber in the interlude learning from his last mistake. Dooku rarely made a mistake twice after all. Obi-Wan shut off his Padawan's frantic shouting in his mind with the intent on shielding Anakin from this agony, from the upcoming misery. He had come so close yet still failed, he had done so as a Jedi however and as he stared death in the eye he accepted that really there was no death, _only the force_.

As Dooku's saber twirled in victory, teasing it's fallen prey before the death blow Obi-Wan observed a flicker of emotion cross Dooku's face. One that made him stay his hand for a moment longer. Dooku turned his head towards the entrance to their room, smirk widening over the new development. It was only when Obi-Wan turned his head towards the entrance did he realise why Dooku had waited a few moments, _Anakin_ …

Dooku wanted Anakin to witness his Master's death and there was nothing Obi-Wan could do to spare his Padawan that fate. It broke Obi-Wan's heart. He could face death, he only wished Anakin would not have been forced to go through what he once had.

* * *

Anakin Skywalker took in the room in less than a second, calculations informing him that there was no possibility he was going to reach Obi-Wan in time, before Dooku's raised weapon hit his Master, no way for him to stop the deadly act. One thought raged through Anakin's mind as he felt Siri and the other Jedi racing towards him close behind, too late, this _wasn't_ fair _._

Dooku cackled madly and grinned widely as he began the swing, the movement being empowered by the dark side entirely and being stopped by nothing.

Obi-Wan closed his eyes in acceptance with the knowledge that he could do no more, sending one last thought to Anakin whilst he still could.

 _'I'm sorry that I can't be there to complete the journey with you, I am so proud. Goodbye.'_

Anakin's mind was in a state of shock as his feet carried him forward as fast as he could travel, defying the truth that he would never make it to the other side of the vast room in time, tears falling freely down his cheeks as he heard Obi-Wan's voice once more in his mind only to say _Goodbye._

He stared horrified at the scene as the saber crashed down and did the only thing that felt natural, that he felt was an appropriate response to the nightmare he was stuck in. He screamed.

* * *

 **A/N - Woops it appears I may have done it again with the cliffhanger... I apologise but it can't be helped! If you can forgive me the next part should be up a lot quicker than this one :)**

 **Not long left now, I will be working towards planning out book 2 properly so the first part of that can be up when this is finished!**

 **Until next time...**


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N - So so sorry that I haven't updated this before! Been super busy getting ready to go back to uni... Again really sorry about leaving you guys on the cliffhanger! Here is the conclusion and thanks again for all the reviews!**

* * *

Anakin's cry reverberated around the tainted walls of the temple. He screamed at the manically cackling form of Dooku, screamed at the unjust fate of his Master. He yelled loudly in outrage of it all, cried out in disgust over the fact that such a faithful servant of the light could have such a brutal end. Anakin Skywalker roared at the force itself in fury and rage over the _unfairness_ of it all. This was not the way things were meant to be, he could _feel_ that this future was never meant to pass. A future where Obi-Wan and he did not grow up together was not _right_ so Anakin Skywalker changed it.

One minute he was just yelling out at the injustice of fate but in the next everything in the room simply exploded. Rubble and debris rocketed away at alarming speeds, the walls and ceilings shook so violently from the shockwave that support beams crashed around him to smash into a million pieces. Stone statues were obliterated and crumbled beneath the strength of it, whatever _it_ was.

Dooku's saber was only inches from Obi-Wan as the shock wave hit, the ex-Jedi was lifted off of his feet and the sound of his laughter ceased to exist as all air was stolen from his lungs. Anakin realised absently he was still sprinting towards the scene, as he ran he noted how much like a rag-doll the Sith Lord looked like as he was thrown far away from Obi-Wan. He heard the sickening crunch of Dooku's bones crack as the man impacted with the far wall before crumpling and falling to the stony floor, facial features frozen into a state of shock and wondering why in the force Obi-Wan still seemed to have his head attached.

It took Anakin a few moments to realise just _how_ this had happened, how this miracle willed from his own mind. He did not know _why_ but he knew that he was responsible for this, he was the reason Obi-Wan was still alive. Now more than anything he had to keep it that way. His eyes locked with Obi-Wan's very still body, rather too still for Anakin's liking. As he tested the bond he found it still blocked, Obi-Wan was shielding it probably thinking he was still about to die the Jedi had prepared himself for death after all. As Anakin got closer he realised his Master was barely conscious which would explain the stillness, Anakin actually flinched as he pressed through to their bond and felt just a _slither_ of his Master's agony. He gulped as he realised how much misery Obi-Wan must be in and strove to send as many healing energies his Master's way as he could manage. Truth be told Anakin felt rather drained after his melding with Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan…

Anakin heard Siri's voice call out to him to stop, along with Mace's. Anakin would never stop not when his Master needed him. He did feel the shock radiating from the pair at the scene and knew they were not more than a few meters behind him now, perhaps Master Windu was seeing the truth of Obi-Wan's loyalties. Anakin hoped this was the truth but in any case he would not allow _anyone_ to hurt Obi-Wan again, that included the entire damned Council.

Anakin came to a skidding halt just beside Obi-Wan and took up a protective stance in front of his Master, not willing to allow the man he loved as a father become an unnecessary casualty of this battle. He could not cope with losing somebody close again, without Obi-Wan there would be no-one. Anakin never wanted to find out what that felt like.

He heard Obi-Wan moan and shift behind him and just willed for the wounded Jedi to stay put, he didn't have to worry long about Obi-Wan moving as he caught sight of him. Anakin wasn't sure if his Master even _could_ move if he wanted to. He swallowed the hateful thoughts brought on by seeing his Master so broken and abused, thankful that for now at least he was still breathing, from Dooku's livid face the Sith still intended to change that fact.

"Skywalker…" The Sith Lord spat like a curse, already striding towards the pair of them with his saber still lit.

Anakin squared his shoulders and stared directly into his opponents blazing eyes, accepting the challenge without question

"I told you once before, you won't touch him…" Anakin growled dangerously as Dooku's pace did not falter.

Anakin prepared himself to draw on the force again if that's what it came to, there was no way he would stand by whilst Dooku exacted his revenge. Thankfully before he really had to draw on reserves Anakin spied a blur of cloth travel over head to land in front of him. He immediately drew back to protect Obi-Wan with his own body, unaware of the newcomer's intentions. He caught a flash of purple and knew that the man now standing between them and Dooku was Master Windu, Anakin was grateful the Jedi Master had been able to stay so close on his heels, even if he hadn't felt that way earlier when Windu was shouting at him all the way through the temple…

"See to your Master, Anakin, we will deal with _this_." Windu didn't turn as he spoke, his instruction was crystal clear though. It was non-negotiable and to be acted out immediately without question.

For once Anakin did not argue as he agreed with Master Windu, he had no desire's to exact his own vengeance on Dooku not when Obi-Wan lay here bleeding and hurting, _alone_. His Master was more important than his own desires. Before Anakin turned his back on Dooku he at least had the slight pleasure of witnessing the ex-Jedi look rattled and more importantly _worried,_ the Sith was not stupid. This many Jedi and with the likes of Windu and Yoda appearing it was not likely the Sith Lord was going to be walking away from this fight.

Anakin finally registered Master Windu's use of the word 'we' as when he turned more Jedi were racing towards their position, saber's ready and face's grave. The evil temple was having the same effect on all of them, the sooner they could leave this tainted place the better. He heard the clashing of sabers angrily behind him which confirmed Dooku's pride came before all else, the man would never surrender willingly.

He crouched down beside Obi-Wan just as Siri skidded to a halt above him, he looked up into her eyes and saw the inner battle occurring in her own mind. Love or duty… With tears pricking her eyes she knelt down beside Obi-Wan and for one second Anakin thought she really had chosen Obi-Wan, the question she asked of him however confirmed how dedicated Siri was to being a Jedi. Even with Obi-Wan lying here like _this_ she had still managed to put aside her feelings and do her duty.

"Where did the Witch go?" She asked gently careful not to jostle any of his injuries as she ran a hand through his hair, indicating the pair had been very intimate previously in their lives.

"Out…" Obi-Wan managed to splutter and point towards where Ventress had escaped too.

Tears cascaded down Siri's cheeks so she viciously wiped them away as other Jedi approached, brushing her hand once more across Obi-Wan's face. Anakin figured the gesture itself held so many hidden meanings, it was obvious to him how hard Siri was finding leaving Obi-Wan, having to release her personal feelings.

"Look after him."

Anakin looked into her pained eyes and nodded, not being able to manage words anymore as the shock of everything truly caught up with him. Siri nodded took in a deep breath and stood to take off after Ventress, a small group of Jedi following her into the temple. From how tightly Siri was gripping her saber hilt, Anakin realised perhaps she may not have released _all_ of her emotions, he felt sorry for Ventress if Siri ever caught up with her…

His attention snapped back to Obi-Wan as he choked out words, not sounding healthy in the slightest.

"Where's Dooku?"

Anakin couldn't help but smile gently as he witnessed the classic expression Obi-Wan adorned when he was confused, the furrowing of his brows. His Master was clearly in shock and extremely confused as to why he was still here, Anakin wasn't clear on that either to be honest.

He glanced behind him to see Dooku and the Jedi had moved rather far away now, the Count was surrounded on all sides by the most powerful Jedi in the entire order. The ex-Jedi was being forced into a corner literally as Mace and the other Master's rained down on him continually. Anakin had no doubt that the man would be taken down soon, as he watched the saber play he realised the Jedi intended to take Dooku _alive._ They were being far too reserved for any other scenario.

"We don't have to worry about him anymore," Anakin answered truthfully and gripped Obi-Wan's hand to strengthen their connection, he was still sending everything he had to his Master as Obi-Wan's reserves had been depleted entirely.

A genuine smile spread across Obi-Wan's face at the words and then the most amazing thing happened, Anakin heard his Master laugh. Even though it probably looked mad to an outsider Anakin couldn't help but join in with his Master's joy, they had been on quite an adventure and the fact that they were both alive was quite frankly a miracle. Well _mostly_ alive in Obi-Wan's case.

Anakin sensed the approach of healer's and thanked the force that Obi-Wan would be getting the help he so desperately needed soon, as much as he wanted to help his Master he was almost at the end of his strength too. He dropped entirely to the floor as a disturbance in the force almost floored him, the sudden re-appearance of an old friend was most welcome all the same though.

Obi-Wan grinned warmly as he looked between his Padawan and his Master, feeling thankful and so very lucky that he was still here to enjoy such a moment. The ghost of Qui-Gon smiled down proudly on both Jedi, his legacy. Obi-Wan chuckled as he recognised the look his old Master was giving him, the look he had received many times during his own tutelage. The 'I told you so' look, Obi-Wan didn't mind one bit conceding defeat on this one as Qui-Gon had been right and Obi-Wan couldn't have been happier with the outcome. He and Anakin would live onward and become stronger, they had so very much to learn after all and they would do so together as they were always destined to.

Obi-Wan allowed his weary eyes to close as rest beckoned insistently, Anakin's hand remained gripped in his as he fell into a much needed healing trance, the smiling faces of Qui-Gon and Anakin being the last thing in sight before he fell with arms wide open into the light. Perfection.

* * *

Obi-Wan's next conscious thought occurred some time later, from the heaviness of his limbs he deduced it had been quite a _long_ time. He drifted between a sleep state and dozing as sounds increased around him and he could actually feel a physical bed beneath his back. He tentatively reached out to the force, hoping above all else that he would not find the dark side tainting everything it touched like it had back in the Sith temple. He shook his head clear of cobwebs as the thought conjured up an image of Sidious' decapitated head rolling towards him, he did not need a reminder of that. The gruesome debacle would stay with him for quite some time…

The force was inviting and warm as he basked in it's currents and relaxed, he felt his muscles strengthen and aches cease and even better his eyelids and limbs did not feel so heavy any more. He risked peeking his eyes open only to have to slam them shut when _too_ much light was there, it was far too bright and he was forced to smile gently when the irony was not lost on him. There could _never_ be too much light.

He pried his eyes open once more only this time taking things more slowly, squinting until his eyes adjusted to the new light levels. He had spent so long in the dark, literally and metaphorically that the new surroundings were indeed striking and blinding at the same time. Eventually his sight was restored enough to recognise his surroundings, although really he had already known where he was all along. He was _home_.

The Jedi temple was somewhere where he felt truly safe, hundreds of fellow Jedi roamed the halls which only added to the purity of the ancient structure. He could feel so much joy and contentment that it immediately had him in a good mood, a mood which could not even be toppled by the new-found knowledge that he was in the med-bay. For once in his life he did not allow the little fact that he was stuck in the healer's care diminish his elation over being home, there were many times in the mission where he believed this would never come to pass…

'Anakin!'

His thoughts flew to his Padawan and for one second thought the worst as he struggled to connect with the boy through their bond, his anxiety soon dissipated however as he spied the mop of blond hair to his left. Clearly the healers had doped him up on quite heavy painkillers to make his mind as cloudy as it was, his thought processes even seemed slower, everything seemed _fuzzy_.

He reached out towards the sleeping Padawan and revelled in the comfort of just being this close to Anakin and being safe, rejoiced in seeing Anakin alive and unharmed. The boy stirred slightly as Obi-Wan's hand found his head, Anakin leaned into the touch subconsciously recognising who it belonged to. Obi-Wan grinned as he heard his apprentice murmur something incoherent before a smile spread across his face, a smile of contentment. Anakin could too feel all was well, it was a loving moment.

Obi-Wan didn't have the heart to wake his sleeping apprentice as he looked so peaceful, it was better to let the boy have some rest whilst he could. Anakin's clothes were rumpled and his hair was in disarray indicating that he had not left Obi-Wan's side since Moraband, Obi-Wan groaned inwardly as he realised Anakin had probably disobeyed many orders along the way and he would have to deal with the headache it caused. That was for another time though, in the present they both had to concentrate on healing. They had both been through so much, _too_ much. At the thought his damaged limbs made themselves known, flaring at his sudden movement to reach out to Anakin.

He hissed and readjusted his position until his injured arm stopped shooting daggers at every in-draw of breath, the saber wounds had been deep and would most likely leave scars. He guessed that there would be many scars that would remain, impossible to erase entirely with the events being so weighing in nature. His right arm hung in a sling and thick bandages clung to his thigh, the worst wound that he had received. It had been Dooku's last strike upon him and was delivered with such malice that Obi-Wan could almost still feel the darkness clinging to it. The agony caused by trying to shift his leg informed him with not such subtly that he would not be leaving this bed anytime soon, the healers wouldn't let him out on that leg until many many bacta baths had been undertaken.

He wrinkled his nose at the smell which he could now identify as bacta goo, the sticky substance always clung to him even after being dunked. He had already been in at least once it seemed, it had obviously done wonders for his other scrapes and burns which didn't flare in the slightest anymore. The healer's at the temple were certainly skilled in their field, Obi-Wan was grateful for the aid he had grown weary from the ever-growing list of injuries. If only the nightmares and darkness were as easy to wash off with bacta, Obi-Wan had a feeling that they would stick with him for quite some time.

 _'They will pass with time…'_ Qui-Gon's voice floated into his mind, falling back into teacher mode without a second thought.

Obi-Wan chuckled softly thinking quite loudly that Qui-Gon always had to have the last word, he was rewarded with hearing a rich chuckle in his mind which could only have belonged to the Jedi Master. It certainly was going to take some getting used to having Qui-Gon in his head again…

Obi-Wan was pulled from his mind as the door swished open to admit a very welcome guest. He grinned from ear to ear as Siri Tachi strolled in with drinks in hand, which she had to fight very hard to keep control of when the shock of seeing Obi-Wan awake made her jump out of her skin.

"You're awake!" She managed to squeak once the beverages were saved, it was unusual for Obi-Wan to see the blonde haired Jedi off guard but he always relished the times he did.

"Clearly."

The sarcasm was usual between them, they relied on the humour to keep conversations away from their pained past. He laughed as she looked affronted over the flippant remark, familiar fires of a challenge being kindled in her crystal eyes, Obi-Wan had seen the gaze many times before when the pair had been duelling. As much as he loved her company he was rather surprised to see Siri here, he had felt her upon Dooku's ship but the question was how much had she seen?

"You're lucky I have a soft spot for _fragile_ men," Siri countered and took up the seat to his right, careful to not wake up Anakin in the process.

Obi-Wan raised his brow and plastered a look of mock hurt over his features, the act only caused Siri to laugh at the display. Obi-Wan basked in the richness of her laughter, she was such a pure soul… Soon his hand was in hers and levity was knocked out of the way by her serious features, they could joke around all they wanted but they both knew how close this one had been. There was no hiding from it this time.

"It's good to see you," He spoke solemnly as an air of melancholy threatened to drown the both of them.

"You too…" There was a pained look in her gaze and oddly a flash of guilt, what did Siri have to feel guilty about? She had kept Anakin safe when he could not and had earned his undying gratitude for a feat so difficult.

Soon the guilt was gone replaced by a tantalising gaze which warned Obi-Wan he had to keep his wits about him if he did not want to suffer another defeat.

"You weren't worried were you?" Obi-Wan teased, already knowing the _real_ answer but also knowing that Siri was far too proud to admit it. How could she not have been worried when he had been worried himself?

"Of course not, Kenobi…" She bantered feigning indifference, they both knew better than that though.

"You really got yourself in a mess this time didn't you, Ben?" She continued to gibe whilst playfully poking his chest.

He feigned that the action hurt which of course it didn't, but the faked grunt and grimace had Siri fuss over him and start to apologise quickly. When he caught her eye she worked out the ploy and hit him for real this time which ironically did _hurt_ , there was quite rightly no pity afterwards. They both had wide grins spread across their features as they teased, this was why he had always been close to Siri, she understood him. Connecting with her wasn't a task or a chore. Being with Siri; _loving_ Siri, it was more natural than breathing.

"I didn't go looking for trouble I assure you," He finally answered defensively.

Siri raised her brow and smirked, "No, it just seems to find you…"

Obi-Wan shook his head over the statement, she had always mocked him for getting into trouble and ending up in here. Perhaps there was some truth to her words after all… She offered some water which was when Obi-Wan realised how so very _thirsty_ he was, after accepting the offered refreshment gratefully his eyes slid to encompass all of Siri and something twigged. The ruffled clothes, hair in disarray, dark circles under her eyes like Anakin, she had stayed here by his side too. Obi-Wan felt a strange sensation flutter in his stomach as his mind connected the dots, one he hadn't felt since the pair were teenagers. Siri had stayed by his side.

"You didn't have to stay you know." He gripped her hand kindly as the natural embarrassment of being caught in such a position tainted her cheeks a lovely pink, Siri never liked to show her feelings openly.

"I wanted to," she finally replied causing Obi-Wan's smile to widen further. "Besides I couldn't very well leave Anakin alone. That's quite the remarkable Padawan you have there, Obi."

They both looked to Anakin who was still sleeping peacefully through their conversation, too exhausted to be stirred by something so trivial as words between old friends.

"You don't know the half of it…" He heard himself mutter.

Siri's curious gaze bore into his until he was forced to meet her inquisitive eyes, she had clearly sensed that he had meant there was more to Anakin than others saw, so much more. Siri had always been preceptive…

"Thank you for watching over him."

Siri sighed as she realised Obi-Wan wasn't going to elaborate any further on his previous statement, Obi-Wan was after all a very private man even with her.

"Any time."

Their eyes locked again and all the years seemed to fall away around them, it was as if they were hormonal teenagers again. Obi-Wan realised something dangerous as he gazed into Siri's _perfect_ eyes, he still loved her. He knew then and there he always would.

He pulled his gaze away from Siri regrettably as another joined their humble abode, Master Yoda. Obi-Wan and Siri separated, her hand leaving his so quickly it was as if she had been burned. He saw her cheeks flush after being seen in an overly friendly position by Master Yoda himself, Obi-Wan too felt mortified over the development. How had they not sensed the Master? _Distraction…_

Master Yoda did not offer retribution only a knowing glance as he looked between the two, a warning but nothing more maybe feeling generous as the circumstances were extra-ordinary. Obi-Wan and Siri both heaved in a sigh of relief before Siri took her leave, realising they had almost reverted back to old mistakes in a moment of weakness. They would always have a connection and Obi-Wan would always love her but duty came first, they had both chosen the path of the Jedi and had to live with the pain and consequences of that.

"See you around, Kenobi." She offered him one of her perfect smiles before bowing out of the room, leaving Obi-Wan with the grand Master of the order.

Master Yoda watched Siri go with an odd expression, before Obi-Wan could properly identify it the look was gone, replaced by the usual serene features. Obi-Wan attempted to sit up properly only to stop as Yoda gave him a warning to desist, a warning which roughly translated to - _'Sit you will or strapped down you will be…'_

"How feel do you, Obi-Wan?" The little Master queried as he sat in the seat recently vacated by Siri.

That was rather a loaded question coming from Master Yoda, his questions always had double meanings and hidden depths. Obi-Wan wasn't completely sure he knew _how_ he was, he hadn't really had the time to brood over events. Compared to the last few days however he felt cleaner, less-burdened and safe.

"I feel good, Master, I feel as though a great burden has been lifted."

Yoda nodded his head perhaps echoing approval perhaps understanding, Obi-Wan was sure the news of the Sith had been a shock for all Jedi just like it had been for him. For some time it looked as though all could be lost anyway, regardless of what Qui-Gon had changed. Did Master Yoda know about Qui-Gon?

Master Yoda flicked up his eyes to Obi-Wan's with a mischievous glint which made Obi-Wan feel like an initiate all over again, Yoda had read his thoughts perfectly as if he had no shields at all. He would forever be in awe and amazed by Master Yoda's wisdom and knowledge of the force.

"Know I do, sensed his presence I did."

Obi-Wan nodded thankful that at least a difficult conversation was out of the way, he didn't even know how he would have begun. Master Yoda was the only one who had lived long enough, had seen so much that he would perhaps believe Obi-Wan's words. He was sure if he had told any one else he would be stuck here indefinitely to check for brain damage, telling people that he had been hearing and seeing a man that was dead for years was not a good way to prove one's sanity.

"He never told me how." Obi-Wan looked up hopefully to see if the Jedi Master had an answer for him where Qui-Gon did not, his Master had just chalked it down to his usual defiance.

"Unheard of it is," Yoda answered. "Show me how to connect with him you must."

Obi-Wan panicked over the words, how did he connect with Qui-Gon? If he were honest it always seemed to be down to his Master and not him. How in the blazes was he meant to teach Master Yoda when the Grand-Master already knew more than anyone?

Yoda chuckled as he picked up the panicked thoughts, he laid a clawed hand on Obi-Wan's arm and invoked _peace._

"Learning we all are, Obi-Wan."

Obi-Wan relaxed a tad at the words, his mind naturally moved to the next experience he had which was quite simply unexplainable, Anakin.

"Master, when I was duelling with Sidious something happened, something with Anakin and Qui-Gon." He looked down at Master Yoda hoping he would not think that Obi-Wan was completely mad, he didn't really know how to describe what happened let alone _explain_ it.

"Hmm…" Master Yoda looked between the sleeping form of Anakin and Obi-Wan with an inquisitive gleam in his eye, perhaps he was looking for something only an outsider would see. "Strong your training bond has become, stronger than any before…"

Obi-Wan furrowed his brows in confusion, there had to be more than that surely? What happened in the temple could not simply be the result of he and Anakin growing close, Obi-Wan had _felt_ Anakin inside his body.

"Master, it's more than that." Obi-Wan started slightly exasperated. "When it happened, well when it happened it was like Anakin and I were the same person joined by the force."

Obi-Wan half expected the green troll to shoot down his theory as nonsense, the Jedi Master only nodded and seemed to get lost in thought. Whatever the answer it was becoming clear to the pair of them that it would take much more than just one conversation to know what happened, if they ever were to know. Obi-Wan foresaw many late nights ahead in joint meditation with the aging Master to uncover the mystery, Yoda had clearly come to the same conclusion.

"Later talk more we will, _rest_ now you must." Yoda hopped off of the chair and gathered his gimmer stick to set off, disappearing after as always he caused more questions than answers.

"Wait, what happened to Dooku and…" Obi-Wan desperately asked as a million burning questions filled his mind. He wanted to know that everything truly was okay and that this wasn't all some false hope, fate however had other ideas as he was interrupted by Yoda again before he could finish.

"Later, Obi-Wan, safe now you are. _Rest_."

With that Yoda was gone, leaving Obi-Wan to his own thoughts and Anakin. He felt his eyelid's grow heavy again and had a funny feeling he knew why he felt so tired all of a sudden, Master Yoda had pushed a sleep command on him, twice! Obi-Wan couldn't believe he missed it at the time, now it was as clear as day as he thought back to the Jedi Master's parting instructions. Clearly Yoda had not trusted him to rest on his own terms, Obi-Wan admitted to himself he probably would have spent the time brooding so perhaps the Jedi Master did have precedent…

Obi-Wan struggled to keep his eyes open as he thought valiantly against the Jedi Master's will, knowing full well that the struggle was futile. He resigned to sleep as his eyes finally stayed shut but not before clasping his Padawan's hand in his, the contact made all of his queries over Dooku seem inconsequential. Nothing else mattered now that he knew Anakin was safe and they would move forward together just as he always dreamed.

Qui-Gon Jinn looked down upon the entwined pair as they slept peacefully and smiled, he would have given anything to be with them fully but would not take this new-found contact for granted. He would not be leaving Anakin or Obi-Wan's lives anytime soon, not with so much to learn and _teach_. He settled down to watch over the two and was once again in awe of how _right_ the image looked. The force swirled around the two sleeping brothers confirming the fact their destinies were intertwined with another, they _belonged_ together.

 _Finis_

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 **A/N -** **Okay so even though this chapter says it's the last I'm actually going to be doing an epilogue to wrap things up and set up a few things before I start book 2, shouldn't be too long until that's up! Hope you've enjoyed the tale :)**

 **Until next time...**


	32. Epilogue

**So this is the end! I would like to thank everyone who has followed this story, some even from the beginning! I didn't realise how big this would become when I started and certainly didn't expect to spark a sequel. This is a little bit delayed as I have been working on two chapters! I'm pleased to say chapter 1 of book 2 is ready and will be uploaded at the same time :) Enjoy the final chapter of the story and I hope you join me for the next instalment!**

* * *

 **Epilogue**

Days passed quickly in the temple and things generally returned to normal, the order had mostly come to terms with what had come to pass and was in a state of reflection on just how close they had been to disaster with Palpatine in power. The senate were dealing with new elections after the death of Chancellor Palpatine, the Council deemed it wise to keep the truth from the public, not wanting to frighten them or cause unrest over the Jedi's action to hide the truth of the Sith. Many Jedi including Obi-Wan believed this to be a mistake which may come back to haunt them if the Senate ever found out the truth, especially with Ventress at large. The Witch had somehow managed to evade capture on Moraband, even days later there was no sign of the dark force user. It was as though she had simply vanished.

Obi-Wan and Anakin had spent the last few days in the med-bay, much to Obi-Wan's chagrin. He developed an infection in his thigh wound so the healer's finally had an excuse to keep him there to _rest._ He had sent Anakin back off to class's on the second day, as soon as the Padawan had been cleared for action again. His physical wounds were healed but Obi-Wan knew they both had a great deal more healing to achieve, the mind and soul. For the present however the pair only wished for things to get back to normal, well as normal as was possible after all that had occurred. After Qui-Gon, the Sith, what had happened in the temple…

Obi-Wan had promised to uncover and go over everything with his Padawan in the coming future, stating that it was far more important they heal physically and get back on their feet first. Of course there was also the Council to deal with… They had delayed the usual mission debriefing on account of Obi-Wan's injuries, the only good thing that had come from an extended visit in his mind. Obi-Wan had been poked and prodded and given more bacta baths than he cared to count, all the while he had a suspicious lack of visitors which he chalked down to the healer's and Master Yoda who did not want his recovery impeded. Obi-Wan did not appreciate the isolation at all and so on more than one occasion attempted escape just to see someone, anyone. After the disobedience he found someone in his room more often, Siri came once or twice again before being sent off on a new mission, and Anakin of course was by his Master's side the second class was finished.

Anakin remained silent on how his class's were going, Obi-Wan noted tension rise whenever he mentioned it and made a mental reminder to keep an eye on his Padawan. Obi-Wan knew there would be gossip and an abundance of rumours flying around the temple and that Anakin was probably receiving the brunt of it from his age-mates, if the pressure did not ease off on his Padawan's shoulders then he would have to intervene. That was a problem for the future however, now in the present he and Anakin had other problems.

The other problems were the precise reason that Obi-Wan and Anakin found themselves standing where they were at that present moment, outside the Council chambers.

Obi-Wan sat on one of the benches to disguise his weakness in his leg, he had only just been released temporarily from the healers with a threat that if he didn't take it easy he would back in a flash. Obi-Wan couldn't think of a punishment worse so planned to indeed _take it easy_ and show as little weakness as possible, the limb was the only one that still truly ached and caused enough pain to cause him to sit. Thankfully his other injuries had been sufficiently healed from his extended time in the med-bay, he couldn't wait for the day that his leg ceased causing him such misery but admitted it was much improved to before. Honestly he was lucky Dooku hadn't taken off the blasted thing.

He could still _feel_ the ex-Jedi in the force, they had spent rather a long time together and shared far more than he had ever wanted to. Regrettably Dooku's force signature was as familiar to him now as someone he had known for decades, because of this Obi-Wan could sense him beneath the temple. The Count had been captured on Moraband and transported back to the temple for safety, it was the only place in the universe where they had the capabilities of storing somebody as powerful as Dooku. It was the Council's wish to attempt to bring the ex-Jedi back into the light, so far they had only received abuse and insults from the regal man. Obi-Wan was not surprised in the slightest.

As soon as he had found out about Dooku, Obi-Wan had requested an audience with Master Yoda and attempted to make him see reason that Dooku could _never_ be turned back to the light. Obi-Wan had seen that last slither of good inside the man die the moment he turned on Qui-Gon, the man prowling below him was no more than an agent of evil and Obi-Wan was confused that the Council could not see this. Yoda had stayed silent through the passionate appeal and it was then Obi-Wan realised that the Jedi Master was not coming to the Count's defence, he _too_ knew the truth. When Obi-Wan questioned why they were still going ahead with the futile attempt Master Yoda had made it clear that he was the only one in the Council to vote against Dooku, he had been over-ruled by the rest. That was the moment Obi-Wan truly worried about his own upcoming Council meeting, Yoda would advocate his cause but if it were just he?

"How much trouble are we in, Master?" Anakin ceased his pacing and slumped down beside Obi-Wan, impatient streak once again breaking through.

Obi-Wan started at the interruption forgetting for a moment that Anakin was even present, when the boy was brooding he almost became invisible. Seeing a Padawan _brood_ from the other side opened his eyes to how annoying the behaviour was, no wonder why Qui-Gon had always teased him over the action.

"I truly don't know, Anakin," Obi-Wan replied truthfully whilst rubbing his face, attempting to wipe away the fatigue. The painkiller's he was on had the effect of making him drowsy more often than not, he couldn't wait to be off the force-forsaken things either.

Anakin huffed at the answer before scowling at the door and continued his pacing. Obi-Wan sighed and chose to stop his Padawan's behaviour before it regressed further.

"Anakin, do stop pacing you're sending my head spinning."

To the boy's credit as soon as Obi-Wan's health was brought up he ceased immediately, muttered a half-hearted 'yes, Master' and took up a seat next to Obi-Wan. He did start tapping his foot but Obi-Wan let the action go knowing full well that his Padawan had too much nervous energy to simply sit, a good spar would have the problem solved in no time but unfortunately they had other battles to fight.

The Council kept them waiting for quite some time almost causing Obi-Wan to break the code over Anakin's increasing restlessness, thankfully the summons came before things got too out of hand. As they stepped through the imposing doors Obi-Wan caught sight of each and every Council member, the stares almost had him on edge as if he were still a Padawan. However thinking back over past events he realised this was nothing compared to facing down the Sith in a Sith temple, here he was home and had the force on his side. That was enough no matter what occurred here, Obi-Wan was prepared for his or Anakin's expulsion or perhaps both. If Anakin left so would he, he would not leave his Padawan alone in the world, never.

"Master Kenobi, Padawan Skywalker," Master Windu began as the pair reached the centre and bowed.

"Master's," Obi-Wan and Anakin replied in unison as they took up their respective positions. Obi-Wan marvelled at how the incoming sunlight hit the central circle perfectly, almost leaving the rest of the chambers in darkness.

"We have a lot to discuss," Windu continued, grave expression doing no favours for Obi-Wan's anxiety.

"I suppose we do, Master." That remark earned him a few scowls and mutters which served to inform him exactly who was against him at the moment, the majority.

Windu himself remained unmoved at the answer, Yoda even seemed to smile slightly but the general consensus all around him was clear. They wanted him gone. He could feel it in the force, their feelings leaking past usual rock-solid shield's. He felt his leg twinge and for one moment regretted leaving the healer's ward at all, he ignored the tingling and strove to focus on the task ahead.

The start of the debriefing began as usual, Obi-Wan caught the Council up on the beginnings of their failed mission and was surprised to find out how much they already knew. The twinge in his leg grew worse as time drew on, as he was subjected to relentless questioning from every corner of the chamber. The white hot pain sent tremors up his leg as he tried to shift position, thankfully he had managed to hide the discomfort from the Jedi Master's. His dark humour figured he at least one thing to thank Dooku and Ventress for, he was much more capable at hiding his true intentions and feelings now.

Soon the sunlight had left the room entirely indicating to Obi-Wan just how long they had been in the chambers and the questions didn't seem to be letting up anytime soon. Anakin had been questioned too and was so far doing well, only outwardly showing small parts of his boredom when Obi-Wan knew the young Padawan was fantasising about throwing himself out of the window at this very moment, if things got much worse he would have to join him.

Questions cropped up concerning Anakin and his _bending_ of the rules and flat-out dis-obeying direct orders on Moraband, Obi-Wan winced over the stories as he heard them for the first time. It was true he thought Anakin would have caused some trouble in his wake but so much? Obi-Wan promised he would be having words with his Padawan and that appropriate punishments would be concocted. The Master's still weren't completely happy even though Obi-Wan stated they would spend a great deal of time re-learning _obedience_ , Anakin scowled inwardly at the word so Obi-Wan sent him a mental swat to have him remain in line. He could not afford Anakin acting out in the Council chamber of all place, thankfully the questioning soon moved on, then again that meant he was next under the spot-light.

Eventually the questions came around to the point Obi-Wan was dreading to explain, the moment he went with Dooku and left the Jedi behind.

"Your Padawan informed us that you accompanied Count Dooku willingly is this true?"

Obi-Wan sent a calming wave to Anakin as he felt the boy's guilt flare, this was in no way his fault and Obi-Wan ensured the Padawan knew that.

"From a certain point of view yes that is true." Obi-Wan could hear the grunts of disapproval as he attempted to evade answering certainly, Windu only smiled slightly before asking for a further explanation.

"Whilst it is true that I went with Dooku it is not how you are implying, I never joined him truly."

One of the disgruntled Master's was first to jump on the damning implication.

"So a deception then?"

Obi-Wan realised he'd fallen face first into a trap, Jedi were never to lie or deceive he knew that but the force had prompted him too. Above all else that is what a Jedi should be, a servant of the force.

"A necessary one, Master," Obi-Wan braced himself for the reaction to his next statement, "I followed the will of the force."

The aftermath was immediate, there were unconcealed gasps of astonishment and loud outrage to his words. Obi-Wan had always been beside his own Master appalled when he had uttered the same phrase to the Council Master's and the reaction was usually the same, he had always felt utter embarrassment and pleaded with Qui-Gon to not provoke the Council. Obi-Wan understood why he said what he did now, he had truly meant it and did not care what other's thought of him.

"Like Master like apprentice…" One Master behind him sneered.

Obi-Wan spun on his feet ignoring the flash of agony from his leg in the process, anyone could insult him but Qui-Gon? That was crossing the line.

"Qui-Gon Jinn was a great Jedi and a great man, I am proud to have been his student." Obi-Wan felt fierce defensive feelings well in his chest as he spoke, struggling immensely to keep them under check. He would not look the initiate here.

"Question that no-one will." Master Yoda's voice spoke volumes as he glared around the Council chambers to impose the message one by one if need be.

Obi-Wan locked eyes with the green Master and nodded his head slightly to show his gratitude, Yoda had been silent for almost the entire meeting at one point Obi-Wan had seriously thought the Jedi Master had got lost in his own thoughts.

"How is it that you were able to defeat a Sith Lord? How are we to know you did not give into fear?"

Obi-Wan was afraid this would come up he couldn't very well explain Qui-Gon to the Council and he had honestly no idea what had happened, he had already informed Yoda as such.

"I cannot explain it only that I trusted in the force."

Mutters followed that statement as well which did not surprise Obi-Wan, they could sense he was not lying though just not telling them everything. Thankfully Yoda stepped in again to put such disagreements to bed.

"Meditating Master Kenobi and I will be. Of the disturbance we felt and what happened in the temple on the origins." His words served to sooth most of the discontentment surrounding the subject thankfully but Obi-Wan knew all were not convinced.

Master Windu put the matter to bed by continuing on with the questions, Obi-Wan was growing weary inside by this point and could feel Anakin wasn't faring much better. He honestly thought now that battling Sith on Moraband was a better alternative to _this._

"Master Kenobi, although you say you were following the will of the force these decisions are troubling, allying with known Sith and abandoning your apprentice?"

Obi-Wan looked back at Master Windu and saw through the serene outward mask he displayed, the Jedi was _confused_ not making accusations. Obi-Wan realised how hard this must be to accept from an outside point of view, they deserved to know as much as he did.

"I did what I saw as the only option to serve the force and to protect my Padawan, Dooku was crazed by power and intent on having me as an apprentice. I followed the force's urgings to play along and he informed me of the Sith Lord's identity, when you arrived Dooku was prepared to kill myself and Anakin. We had no weapons, no defence but one, Dooku's own arrogance it blinded him. The force showed me two choices, play along and get Anakin away so he may tell you of the Sith, or we would both die there and the identity of the Sith Lord would have remained a secret. Billion's would have been in danger so I made the only choice I knew to be right, I can assure you Master's I never fell to the dark side."

The room had fallen into a pensive silence as Obi-Wan finished his confession, he could feel everyone weighing up his statement and struggling with it's meaning. He did not blame them truly, it had been a complicated situation and his answer was just as complicated, things would have been so much easier for them if matters had truly been black or white.

"How do we know you were not seduced by the dark?" A voice broke through his haze to shatter the optimism that had been building, how could he prove that if they did not believe it?

Obi-Wan felt dejected as he remained stumped, he could only tell the truth and hope the Council saw it as so. That was until Yoda made himself known once more.

"Look I shall."

All eye's turned to the little green Master questionably, Obi-Wan was the first to understand what the Jedi Master was suggesting. He wanted to pilfer through Obi-Wan's mind, like Ventress and Dooku had. Obi-Wan actually stumbled as the agonising memorising were brought to the forefront of his mind, it was like he could still feel Ventress' evilness ripping apart his mind maliciously piece by piece. He slammed his eyes shut as the harrowing memory's affected his vision, his sense of time, everything.

Obi-Wan felt his screaming leg buckle next as his resolve to ignore the increasing agony shattered, he heard himself yell out as he sailed towards the floor. Puzzlingly the ground never came up to meet him. Obi-Wan re-opened his eyes as he battled away the feeling of someone invading his mind, the utter panic it provoked. He was face down but _hovering_ above the Chamber floor, it was then that his muddled brain recognised the feeling of the force cradling him. He looked over at the green Master and confirmed the fact that Yoda had caught him before he fell all the way to the floor, he was most grateful as the impact would have set his recovery back and earned an earful from the healers also. Yoda lowered his arms so that Obi-Wan felt himself being lowered to the ground, he could feel Anakin by his side and could sense his panic crashing into his mind.

"Somebody comm the healer's."

"Oh not good…" Obi-Wan muttered as he could already imagine Healer Che's face when she saw him, he had promised to take it easy and had evidently failed. She would have his _hide_ , well as soon as he was recovered of course.

'Master! Master, are you alright?'

Anakin's shaky voice sailed into his mind as the hold from Yoda finally relented, leaving him free to roll and face upwards.

"I'm fine, Anakin, it's just my leg." As Obi-Wan went to sit up a searing pain shot up his leg making him gasp and flop back down immediately. He had obviously been subconsciously calling more and more on the force to diminish the misery previously, the thoughts of a mind probe had sent his control crashing down, literally.

"Lay still you will." Yoda's stick thwacked the floor as he hobbled over.

Obi-Wan grimaced as another wave of discomfort traversed his body, laying still sounded like a wonderful idea at present. He looked around the faces above him and saw that all of the Master's were on their feet and circled round him, from their grim face's he guessed he must not look so great at all. His eyes fell on Anakin and he gripped the small hand holding his harder to try and alleviate some of the Padawan's worries, it had enough of an effect that Anakin moved away on the first order from Healer Che.

The healer's were as Obi-Wan predicted, not impressed. It was not soon before a hypo was pressed against his neck and he was sailing towards oblivion, perhaps this exit was better than jumping out of the window but this way had the downside of the healer's wrath… Obi-Wan soon felt his eye's start to droop and he realised Qui-Gon had _never_ made this much of a scene in the Council chambers, he would be proud of this attempt.

* * *

Obi-Wan fluttered back into awareness as the rhythmic beeping of machines filtered through to his mind, that plus the distinctive smell of _bacta_ had him come to the immediate conclusion he was in the med-bay, _again_. He supposed it was his own fault really, he had thought he could control the strain in his leg that was until everything shattered. Thankfully there didn't seem to be as many drugs in his system so the force was clearly accessible, he felt two very bright presence's nearby and the truly puzzling thing was neither of them belonged to his Padawan. Anakin was not here.

When he opened his eyes and the images cleared to become subject matter he saw just exactly _who_ was in the room with him, Master's Yoda and Windu. As if jolted by some shock he attempted to sit up in bed and bow simultaneously. Neither went well but it earned him a gentle smile from both Master's nonetheless.

"We asked the healer's to wake you to continue our discussion," Mace started in an almost teasing tone, Obi-Wan guessed he must have looked a mess the last time they spoke. There was more than one nagging question on his mind, his limbs felt rather heavy as if he'd been in bed a while…

"How long?" Even his throat was rather dry and hoarse, Mace offered him water which was taken gratefully. The cool liquid soothed his throat beautifully.

"3 days."

Obi-Wan coughed and spluttered in surprise and something bordering closely to anger flared, annoyance.

"But… why…?"

"So rest you would." Yoda chuckled, knowing full well as Obi-Wan did if he were awake sooner he would have attempted to get out. It was in his nature.

"I see…" Obi-Wan ground out in mild annoyance, he did not appreciate being drugged against his will even if it were for the best. His leg did seem improved and felt as it did before the fall now, perhaps in a few days the majority of the pain would be gone.

To Obi-Wan's surprise Mace actually _laughed_ at his comment, it was not often that he saw the Council member outside of the chambers and when he did the man still seemed robotic. He must have stared incredulously for a moment too long as the Korun Jedi gave him a knowing look, still remained the remnants of a twinkle in his gaze.

"Qui always said you hated this place, I always thought he was being melodramatic."

The connection was rather a curious one to Obi-Wan, he never knew his Master to be close enough with Windu to engage in small-talk. Perhaps his judgement was clouded by his own perceptions, the pair had always gone at each other in the Council chambers more so than others, Mace growing more annoyed than anyone over Qui-Gon's disobedience.

"I never knew you and Qui-Gon were close." Obi-Wan spoke warily, Mace Windu was a complicated man and never let on to his true intentions. The last thing Obi-Wan wanted to do was mis-read the situation.

"We were childhood friends," he cleared up. "Just because your Master was an incorrigible maverick didn't mean that I would disown him."

Obi-Wan chuckled over the phrase knowing that he had used it himself more than once, Qui-Gon had always been proud to be known as a maverick, flowing against the tide if it was the _right_ thing to do.

"He wouldn't be impressed by your little stunt in the Council chambers, Obi-Wan, for his sake you need to take care of yourself." The mood in the room sobered after Mace's words, Obi-Wan knew full well how foolish and arrogant he had been.

"I thought I could handle the injury."

Yoda grunted which Obi-Wan knew from previous experience was how the troll expressed his disdain, his silent scolding over the words.

"You did at first, not one of us could feel or sense your discomfort. We all have our limits though, Obi-Wan, and you are going to have to come to terms with the fact that this last mission has changed you."

Obi-Wan felt his cheeks burn with shame and looked away from the respected Master's, he soon recognised the emotions to be useless so proceeded to release them into the force. Yoda and Windu had sensed them nonetheless however.

"Take time to heal it will, help we are here to," Yoda sincerely promised.

Obi-Wan looked between the Master's and saw only concern, he was not too proud to admit when help was needed. If the simple thought of a mind probe had him literally on his knees then how in the force was he supposed to train Anakin? Ventress and Dooku had evidently left more in their wake than he had originally anticipated.

"Thank you, Master's."

Yoda grunted approvingly before heading towards Obi-Wan's side, lifting a chair with one clawed hand to allow him the height to reach Obi-Wan. He knew what was coming, Yoda needed to raid his memories if they were to move forward.

"The Council have voted to leave the decision regarding yours and your Padawan's future to us, with one condition." Mace moved to join Obi-Wan on the other side, effectively closing off his escape routes.

"A mind probe," Obi-Wan finished for the Master, not able to keep the stuttering out of his voice entirely. They could both surely feel how rattled he felt over the idea, Obi-Wan had rarely been scared of things but this, this now _petrified_ him and he knew it shouldn't.

Yoda laid a clawed hand on Obi-Wan's arm and stared into Obi-Wan's eyes with a gentle gaze, understanding the reason why the Jedi reacted the way he did but knowing there was only one way forward.

"Scared of me you are, Obi-Wan?"

"Not you, Master." Obi-Wan managed a meek smile.

"Has Master Yoda ever harmed you?" The little green Master continued.

"No, Master."

Obi-Wan could see what Yoda was attempting to do, a crechling's game really. He could not cling onto his fear, that would only lead him down a dark path. To overcome one's fear they had to face it head on. Yoda watched intently as Obi-Wan's resolve grew, his desire grew to face the unknown and truly overcome it. The little green Master nodded in approval and indicated to Mace to start, they would _both_ be inside his mind.

"Relax, Obi-Wan, lower your shields," The Korun Master gently commanded as both Yoda and he laid hands either side of the Jedi's head.

Obi-Wan sank back into the bed and let every shield he had erected fall away, it was then he realised just how guarded he truly had become. Another unfortunate result of his time with the Sith. He focussed on simply breathing and nothing else as he felt the Master's enter his mind, the temptation to throw the invaders out was almost overwhelming. He felt his panic rising as they dug deeper and felt a calming suggestion wash over him, he knew it was not his but he rode with it anyway hoping it would cease the anxiety. He flinched as they over-turned secrets and uncovered precious memories. It wasn't long before he was imagining himself back in Ventress' clutches, at her _mercy._ His heart-rate rocketed as the familiar feelings of somebody scouring his mind returned, as the pain it caused manifested inside his own head.

He distantly heard someone tell him to relax but refused to listen or believe it, what if he was still with Ventress and this was all some game to find out his secrets? He must never tell her… Just before Obi-Wan started erecting shield's and fighting against an invisible enemy he heard a voice which stopped him in his tracks entirely, Qui-Gon.

"Obi-Wan, stop, you're safe I promise you." The face of Qui-Gon swam in his mind and Obi-Wan looked directly into those familiar eyes and saw the trust there, he believed the words above the visions of Ventress in his mind, _chose_ to believe in his Master.

Ventress' darkness disappeared from his mind, he watched it destroyed by the light along with the paranoid delusion's that had almost had him attack Master Yoda and Windu. His heart-rate levelled out as instead of harrowing nightmares bringing him pain and despair, he saw happy memories with Qui-Gon and Anakin.

He felt his Master remain nearby as hundreds of memories from their apprenticeship, from his childhood filled his mind serving to take up his entire concentration. He ceased to think about the invaders in his mind and focussed only on Qui-Gon, on the safety and joy the images produced. It only felt like minutes later when a voice broke through the haze instructing him to open his eyes, they were done.

Obi-Wan returned to the present and opened his eyes, surprised to feel hot tears pricking at the corners. He wiped the remnants away in embarrassment then looked between Yoda and Mace in an attempt to deduce the judgement. Master Yoda looked thoughtful and he smiled gently as Obi-Wan made contact, hopefully he would see that Obi-Wan had only acted after listening to the force. As he turned to gauge Mace's reaction he saw that the Master looked to be in a state of shock, face paling after the probe. What could have the Master so rattled? Did he see some darkness after all?

"Qui-Gon…" Mace finally muttered, calming Obi-Wan's doubts over what the Master had seen but alarming him all the same. He hadn't considered that Mace would _see_ those memories too.

"Found a path to immortality he has," Yoda confirmed.

"But… how?"

"Find out Obi-Wan and I will, about Skywalker as well," Yoda promised his fellow Council member, amused slightly at the state of shock Mace still seemed to be in.

"Good…" The Master finally spoke before asking his next question of Obi-Wan. "How long has he…"

"I only saw him for the first time this mission, obviously I thought for a long time that I had just gone insane," Obi-Wan confirmed for the Korun Master.

Windu nodded slowly as he came to terms with the news, Obi-Wan was far more comfortable with Mace knowing since he had learned that he and Qui-Gon had been friends.

"He was there in your mind, when you were losing control…" Windu looked curiously at Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan nodded in agreement, if it hadn't been for Qui-Gon then things could have gotten a lot worse. He owed his Master that and more, he had been there for Obi-Wan just as he needed him.

The three of them moved off the topic as they all felt Anakin nearing in the force, his signature was truly a blinding light. Obi-Wan could feel his Padawan's excitement about seeing Obi-Wan awake, Obi-Wan was just glad that the mind-probe had been completed before his apprentice re-appeared and he had faced his fear even if he had required help.

"Are we agreed?" Mace spoke directly to Yoda as they both moved to stand.

"Hmmpph," Yoda confirmed.

Windu took a deep breath seemingly composing himself before addressing Obi-Wan again. "We are satisfied that you were telling the truth, you did follow the will of the force above all else in a very difficult situation. You and your Padawan will be watched closely for some time, unofficially. Do not see this as a punishment, we only want to help you deal with the repercussions of the mission. Take this time to heal, the pair of you will be off the mission rota for a while."

Obi-Wan listened intently throughout the decision feeling a great weight lifted as the judgement was passed. He and Anakin were to remain here in the temple, Obi-Wan couldn't have been happier.

"Thank you, Master's." Obi-Wan attempted as gracious a bow that he could muster whilst still bed-bound.

Master Yoda and Windu reached the door just before Anakin bounded in, Mace turned to issue one last instruction.

"We will leave Anakin's obedience deficiency in your capable hands." Mace smirked, nobody wanted the job of trying to curb Anakin's rebellious nature, Obi-Wan had been trying ever since he met the boy…

"Of course, Master." Obi-Wan smiled as the pair left the med-bay, thinking all things had gone well considered.

He heard Anakin skid to a stop outside the door and hurriedly greet the revered Master's outside the room. Obi-Wan shook his head slowly as the boy stuttered over his surprise, he had as usual not been minding his surroundings in his race to get to Obi-Wan. He certainly had a lot to teach his rebellious Padawan…

Anakin had bounded into the room with childish excitement and held Obi-Wan in a bear hug until he inevitably brought the healer's down on them. The Padawan questioned the presence of Windu and Yoda and pushed and pushed until Obi-Wan was forced to tell his Padawan the story just to earn some peace. Anakin then proceeded to relate his day to Obi-Wan and was intent on showing Obi-Wan a new move he had learnt in saber practise. Obi-Wan laughed loudly as Anakin crashed into medical equipment after cockily landing the acrobatic move. The Padawan scowled up at his Master accusingly before facing the wrath of the healer's again, almost earning him a ban before Obi-Wan put his considerable diplomatic skills to good use.

The cycle repeated for a few days as Obi-Wan remained bed-bound under threat of violence, perhaps violence was a harsh word but they certainly would knock him out for days on end again if the result would be a healed leg to an extent suitable for Healer Che. Eventually he was released and Obi-Wan and Anakin made the long trip back to their quarters, Obi-Wan was looking forward to being back in his own bed, it seemed like a life-time since he'd set foot in the apartment.

Anakin supported him the last leg of the journey to ensure there would be no repeat visit's to the healers, Obi-Wan had had quite enough of their company for some time. Eventually the pair crossed the threshold and Anakin helped Obi-Wan hobble over to his favourite meditation cushion, which of course Obi-Wan slumped into with relief. It was certainly good to be home.

"Who's gonna train me if you stay an old man?" Anakin teased just after he'd walked far enough away to escape hitting range, the boy was learning.

"I'll show you how _old_ I am when we duel next," Obi-Wan growled back groaning inwardly when his Padawan dodged a cushion he had thrown, he was either becoming slower or Anakin was becoming faster.

Anakin beamed at the banter, relieved that things were back to normal. He proceeded to make tea for the pair of them and joined Obi-Wan on the floor. They both sipped the beverage in silence and stared out at the busy city traffic through the window, the sun was setting which cast a beautiful orange hue over the pair. The moment couldn't have been more prefect, well perhaps it could if Qui-Gon were here to share it with them.

The Jedi Master evidently heard the unguarded thought as Obi-Wan heard a yelp of surprise from Anakin followed by cursing, he turned and saw the front of the Padawan's tunics were now stained with tea. Obi-Wan looked to Anakin's side and smiled at the appearance of Qui-Gon, he had scared Anakin half-to-death with the sudden reappearance.

"You know you're going to have to warn us before doing that" Anakin grumbled as he wiped away the scolding liquid.

"That ruins my fun though," Qui-Gon replied dead-pan.

Obi-Wan snorted at his Master's joke, knowing full well Qui-Gon would continue to appear at unusual times simply to see their reactions. He figured it would be a good exercise for Anakin regardless, always be on guard.

"Master," Obi-Wan greeted as the ghost of Qui-Gon moved to join them on the meditation cushions.

The three of them sat looking out at the city as the last wisps of light filtered over the landscape, now the image was _perfect_. Obi-Wan looked to his right at his Padawan and his Master and felt incredibly thankful that this was even possible, thankful for all he had in this world. _This_ was truly worth fighting for.

Anakin was of course first to break the silence. "So what's our next mission?"

Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon both looked incredulously at the Padawan before bursting into laughter, Anakin soon joined in with the levity as he realised how funny the phrase seemed after what they had all just been through.

When the laughing ceased Obi-Wan subtly reached out in the force for any inkling of what exactly the future _would_ hold, receiving nothing he smiled gently at the answer. Truly it did not matter what the future held, only that the three of them would face it _together._

 _Finis (for real)_

* * *

 **By the time you reach this part chapter 1 of the new story should be posted, it's called 'The Shadows of Vader"**

 **Until next time...**


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